Welcome readers of this new blog about parish conflicts in Christian churches, in particular the Anglican Church Sydney diocese.
How I became involved in Anglican Church parish conflicts
Image courtesy of areta ekarafi.
Back in the 1990’s I witnessed the destructive effect of parish conflicts, one in the Melbourne parish of Vermont and another in the Sydney parish of Pymble. I was astonished and dismayed at the malice and viciousness, the gullibility and lack of insight on display from so-called Christians. In both cases the minster was mistreated by a small clique of parishioners who gained the support of the hierarchy. Each diocese faced large civil court claims for damages. These were settled in favour of the minster. Parishioners were ‘gutted’ by the experience and congregations split.
But not until 2005 did I became more actively involved. I was asked help the former youth minister in a Sydney Parish accused falsely of an immoral and adulterous affair. This was not only denied by the young woman it was denied by the man’s wife. Yet the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) was forced to conduct a costly investigation which resulted in the accusations being dismissed. (‘John’s Story’)
Since then I have been adviser, confidante and representative of two families and adviser and confidante of numerous others responding to the articles I published on Louise’s Page of www.anglicanfuture.org. I was a member of the Rev. Dr Keith Mascord’s group reporting to Synod on a flood of responses to his letter to Synod members in 2006, a letter that was leaked to the Press as well as emailed by concerned Anglicans to others.
People responded. Some knew of my interest in church conflict, my work as a lawyer, my interest in alternative dispute resolution and my work as an academic both lecturing in the postgraduate ADR program at the University of Technology Sydney and preparing research into a better way to deal with parish disputes. Others had read my articles on Louise’s Page and wanted to tell me of their own experiences.
This was my first experience of the disturbing lack of professional competence in the PSU and parish leadership. I was also alarmed at the ruthlessness of some people, and the gullibility and lack of critical intelligence of others, all of whom were serving in positions of ministry.
In 2007 came the phone call from the Rev. Dr. Keith Mascord (see my report on the website).
When the Discipline Ordinance 2006 (Sydney diocese) replaced the Church Discipline Ordinance 2002 I published my critical assessment of its faults and flaws in concept and design, titled ‘How the Church’s “criminal law” system targets ordinary parishioners’.
My article was prompted by yet another phone call, from Christopher Dobbs, saying that his whole family had been banned from attending Figtree Anglican church. Thus started my intervention for the Dobbs family (‘The Figtree Affair’). The article that has attracted the most attention has been ‘A Mother’s Story’ about the effect of the abuse from Figtree clergy and lay leadership on Machelle Dobbs and her six children.
I am now completing my book ‘The Evolution of a Lie’ examining the malice and viciousness of the campaign against the Dobbs family, due to be launched soon. My interest is in understanding where the church is going wrong, with the hope that better methods of dispute resolution might be implemented.
If you have a similar story or any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at louise@churchdispute.com