Lying Leslie Steffensen gears up to move on

Anglican Watch has learned that lying Leslie Steffensen, Canon to the Bishop Suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries, is moving on. The news is confirmed by a posting on the church’s job board.

Steffensen is emblematic of a significant problem for the denomination: far too many postulants are greenlighted for ordination, when they should be given a hard no or pointed in the direction of more appropriate ministries.In Steffensen’s case, she was caught redhanded, lying about a parishioner during a background investigation.And while she has made two written apologies, the first was a fauxpology of the worst sort. The second one similarly weasel-worded things and was made only after guidance from her bishop. Thus, we do not believe Steffensen is sincere, or that she understands why lying about your parishioners is inconsistent with ordination vows. In other words, Steffensen is a fake and a hypocrite.

As a result, Anglican Watch recommends against hiring Steffensen. Yes, she projects well. On the surface, she seems to be everything we’d want in a priest.

But just like Jesus’ white-washed tombs, on the inside Steffensen is ugly, dishonest, sneaky and manipulative. Hers is a self-serving faith, shallow and insecure. It’s the sort of faith that looks good on Christmas and Easter, but is nothing but a veil of illusion.

In short, this is someone who should never have gone to seminary in the first place.

Disclosure: The parishioner Steffensen lied about is Anglican Watch editor Eric Bonetti. Steffensen’s husband Kirk Steffensen subsequently tried to shut down disclosure of Steffensen’s corruption by threatening to interfere with the employment of Bonetti’s husband, Michael Smith, also a parishioner. Kirk Steffensen later allegedly tried to gaslight his way out of the situation.