Novus Spiritus - Canada Breaks Away
Why the Canadian branch of Novus Spiritus left the fold.
Background
Due to the nature and focus of this site, I frequently hear stories of people breaking away from Browne's church, the Society of Novus Spiritus (SNS).
Sometimes it is simply a member of the church who leaves. Other times, it is a minister of the church. Occasionally, it has been an entire branch of the church that leaves. (This happened most recently, I am told, with the Delaware SNS branch in April of 2007).
What would cause an entire branch of the church to disassociate from the headquarters in Campbell, California?
In one case - the breakaway of the church's Calgary branch - their reasons were documented in letters sent to all SNS ministers and to the SNS board of directors.
This article examines those letters.
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The Story
In March of 2004, a Canadian branch of SNS opened in Calgary.
Called the Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus (CCNS), it was a big step for the Society, being the first branch to open outside the USA.
Barely two years after its founding, CCNS would officially break all ties with SNS and Sylvia Browne Corp.
Here is the first of two letters they sent, explaining their reasons (I will save all my comments for the analysis section):
Letter to All Ministers
Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus
April 2, 2006
To the Ministers of Novus Spiritus;
We, the members of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Calgary Ministry of the Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus have drastic concerns with the apparent direction of the Society of Novus Spiritus. The resignations of four senior clergy from California and Washington over the past six months caused us to consider several questions in a most careful and diligent manner. These questions were pursued in our attempt to reconcile apparent inconsistencies between the Novus mission as was originally brought forth by Francine and Raheim [Sylvia Browne's two "spirit guides" -RSL] and with how it would appear that Novus actually operates today. We have since determined that many philosophical and operational differences exist between Society of Novus Spiritus and the Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus.
We agree with Cardinal Darren English when he says in this month's newsletter, "Seeking after truth is wonderful-but what do we do with the information and knowledge once we've gained it? We're not just seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Collecting facts and information and not doing anything with it is useless."
In light of our findings, we the representatives of the Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus do hereby declare our everlasting separation and independence from the influence and direction of the Society of Novus Spiritus, the Sylvia Browne Corporation, and Sylvia Browne Enterprises.
While we are in agreement with regard to the answers to the following questions, we neither ask, nor expect you to feel likewise. We honour your freedom to follow your own path, to perceive the world in your own way. We hope that you will always ask questions for yourself, and of yourself, as you serve your community and as you serve God. As you continue with Novus Spiritus, we encourage you to seek realistic, sensical, substantial answers, and to look beyond the quick and easy, superficial ones.
While we considered many important questions in our efforts to satisfy our fiduciary, ministerial, and spiritual duties, three particularly pertinent questions that were considered are:
Why is there so much rigidly mandated dogmatic ritual in a church that claims to forego dogma?
- Should a "people's church" allow flexibility in order to adapt to each local congregation's dynamics?
- Should a "people's church" maintain a dogmatic hierarchy that perpetuates a separation between it's Ministry and it's congregations?
- Should the Ministry and the congregations of Novus Spiritus be restricted to the exclusive use of Sylvia Browne's material at church? Is this really any different from other churches that prohibit sources other than their particular Bible?
Why is Novus structured more along the lines of the business model than a charitable organization?
- Of course it's important to be fiscally responsible and operationally efficient, but if we have extra funds shouldn't a church use at least some of them to help the needy in their own community?
Why does Campbell ask for money when a church such as ours costs so little to operate?
- Has Sylvia supported the church for 20 years through the proceeds of her readings?
- Hasn't Sylvia performed tens of thousands of readings over these years?
- Doesn't this mean that a lot of money has been generated already?
- Shouldn't an organization that collects money from the people provide an accounting of its collection, safekeeping, and use of those funds in order to maintain credibility and accountability?
With respect,
Bishop Ian Wilson
Bishop Linda Baker
Reverend Penny Wilson
Reverend David Baker
Reverend Arlene Eddy
God Bless you all in your spiritual quests.
"If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking" Buddhist Proverb
Following this you will find a word for word replica of the letter we have sent to the Board of Directors of the Society of Novus Spiritus. We have included this for informational purposes only:
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Letter to the SNS Board
April 2, 2006
To all of the Board Members of the Society of Novus Spiritus;
We, the members of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Calgary Ministry of the Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus have drastic concerns with the apparent direction of the Society of Novus Spiritus. The resignations of four senior clergy from California and Washington over the past six months caused us to consider several questions in a most careful and diligent manner. These questions were pursued in our attempt to reconcile apparent inconsistencies between the Novus mission as was originally brought forth by Francine and Raheim versus how it would appear that Novus actually operates today.
We have since determined that many philosophical and operational differences exist between Society of Novus Spiritus and the Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus. In light of our findings, we the representatives of the Canadian Church of Novus Spiritus do hereby declare our everlasting separation and independence from the influence and direction of the Society of Novus Spiritus, the Sylvia Browne Corporation, and Sylvia Browne Enterprises.
We will return all study group files to you in good order. The month of April's study group packages have been sent out to the Canadian groups. We will also return the JOS to you for which payment is outstanding.
We honour your freedom to follow your own path, to perceive the world in your own way. We hope that you will always ask questions for yourself, and of yourself, as you serve your community and as you serve God.
May God Bless you all and may your Karma always be fair,
Bishop Ian Wilson, President and Chairperson, CCNS
Bishop Linda Baker, Vice President and Vice Chairperson, CCNS
Reverend Penny Wilson, Treasurer of the Board, CCNS
Reverend David Baker, Secretary of the Board, CCNS
Reverend Arlene Eddy, CCNS
"If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep walking" Buddhist Proverb
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Analysis
One thing I find interesting about this letter is the assertion that there was a difference between what the writers believed Novus Spiritus was supposed to be (as put forth by "Francine" and "Raheim") and what they felt it had actually become.
This is a concern I have heard from a number of current and ex-SNS members and ministers, such as the one who wrote:
"For years, people have been financially supporting Novus because for years they have been telling us that there would be nursing homes, day cares or at least soup kitchens that would be funded by our donations and by buying the books and paying a monthly $20 Study group fee.
NONE of that ever came to fruition that I know of and if it was, believe me it would have been in BIG BOLD PRINT on the newsletter!"
Like many of these people, the person who wrote that still considers him/herself to be a gnostic, but has lost confidence in Sylvia Browne, the SNS board, and the way the Society is being run.
Other concerns in the above letters which I have heard many times include:
- SNS micromanaging the satellite churches and the study groups.
- SNS not helping its satellite churches financially.
- SNS being overly interested in receiving money those churches.
- SNS not being accountable as to where those funds go.
Are these concerns typical in other religions when churches break off from their "headquarters?" I do not know.
But I do know that these complaints are a thread which runs throughout much of the correspondence I have received from SNS people, past and present.
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Conclusion
I would assume that these letters can only hint at much deeper and more detailed concerns, known only to the parties involved. If any of the former bishops or reverends of the CCNS would like to contact me and fill in those details, I would be very interested to hear them.
Also, if anyone at SNS wants to share that side of the story, I would be interested in that as well. And if they would like to share the official SNS response to these letters, I will publish that on the site as well.
My thanks to the former SNS member who shared a copy of this letter with me. He/she wanted others within SNS with similar concerns to know that they are not alone.
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