The Bishop Speaks

    On the Election of the 26th Presiding Bishop

Bishop Katharine Jefforts Schori and I served on the Special Commission on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, meeting regularly over the eight-month period immediately preceding General Convention. From that experience in particular, but from our shared ministry as bishops generally, I perceive that she:

Loves the Lord and the Lord’s Church;
Is committed to the Anglican Communion;
Listens to, honors, and provides space for those whose convictions differ from her own;
Is exceptionally bright, creative and articulate.

Based on her comments to the House of Bishops and House of Deputies on the last day of convention, urging both houses to adopt the resolution on the election of and consent to bishops, I also perceive that she is capable of exercising firm leadership when necessary.

I did not vote for her, but my reason had nothing to do with lack of confidence in her qualifications for the ministry of Presiding Bishop as provided in our Constitution and Canons. Rather, my decision was guided by the perception that, at this time, the unity of the Episcopal Church and the “highest degree of communion” with other Anglican Provinces would be served better by a bishop whose vote in 2003 was broadly acceptable throughout the Communion and whose experience as a reconciler within the Episcopal Church had already been tested and known.

I believe that she has the skills and gifts which will serve the Church and her well, as the one who convenes and presides over the House of Bishops.

There would seem to be only one remaining question: How will she be received by other Primates? I cannot read their minds, but I would expect that their considerations include:

Her gender. Some primates do not believe that women should be ordained. [However, from the perspective of those who do—including your bishop—the election of a woman as president would seem ultimately a normal consequence and/or progression. If women may in accordance with God’s will be ordained priest and consecrated bishop, what would deter a ministry as Primate? Modifying secular language, I can see this as “breaking through the (stained) glass ceiling”.] Her vote to consent to the consecration of the Bishop of New Hampshire. The action within her present diocese (Nevada) which I understand supports the blessing of same-gender relationships.

Time, and the specific decisions the primates make, announce and/or live into, will tell. We can only wait and see what they will do.

Was this election the will of the Holy Spirit? Many—bishops who voted and others—have talked passionately about the “movement of the Holy Spirit” they felt in the election process and in the balloting itself. They may be correct. However, in my own experience—which I believe to be consistent with the experience of the Church throughout its history—this is a question which can be answered only in hindsight. We may not know the answer to this question for generations—or at least until we ourselves are in the nearer presence of the Lord.

But I do know this, both from Holy Scripture, Tradition and Reason—as well as my personal experience, if that has any weight: God accepts our offerings; he blesses those which are right, and he redeems those which miss the mark—but nothing we offer is beyond his use to his own glory, to the benefit of his people, and to the spread of his kingdom. I would speak of this election in the same context within which I consider the actions of General Convention: we pray, we dialogue, we study, we decide, we act—and then we offer our best to God for blessing or redemption—or both. (Is our best good enough? I will address this in another writing.)

I spoke briefly with the Presiding Bishop-Elect while we were yet in conclave in Trinity Church, Columbus, awaiting the decision of the House of Deputies to concur or not with the election results. To the best of my memory, this is what I said: “Katharine, congratulations! You are in my prayers. I want you to know that I, like you, am a person under authority. And I am a team player. So I will support you always in my prayers and otherwise whenever I can conscientiously do so—and I will tell you frankly when, for whatever reason, I can’t ‘play’ on the team.” She thanked me graciously and, I believe, sincerely.

To a significant degree our success in unity, mission and faith as a Church depends upon her success as Presiding Bishop. Therefore we must want her to be successful, supporting her constantly in prayer, praying specifically for God’s Holy Spirit to guide our own minds, hearts and spirits—and hers—into God’s wisdom, strength and courage.

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