Of Bishops and BS

Let me be honest, I have never been overly fond of other Christian denominations that feature a hierarchy of Bishops, Archbishops, etc. Some of my best friends and colleagues belong to such denominations, and I know that they are satisfied with that particular form of polity, but it is not for me.

There is a history behind some of my animosity toward the 'whole bishop thing.' My wife and I were exploring becoming Anglicans at one point in our ministry vocations. It was not because we were particularly unhappy with our own United Church of Christ, but did feel that the Episcopal Church was a nice middle ground between the two traditions of our childhoods. I was an evangelical Methodist, Maurene was a Roman Catholic. She liked the use of Missals and Prayer Books and although that wasn't all that exciting to me, I was sometimes disenchanted with the free church tradition which often seemed to be nothing more, than as one wag put it, 'four walls and a sermon.'

So, we began to explore the possibility while living in Peoria, Illinois. I set up a meeting with the Bishop and was a little bit surprised when he requested that only I come in for an initial conversation. When I was finally let in to his office I was concerned about proper protocol. Should I kiss his ring? He immediately made me comfortable by inviting me to sit down. That was the end of any comfort. His first words after his invitation to be seated were: "I must tell you, your wife cannot become a priest in this diocese because I believe that only men can be an icon of Christ." So much for our flirting with the Episcopal Church. Yes, I know that this is one particular bishop in one particular place, and I know that the Episcopal Church has many progressive churches and bishops, but I never want one particular individual to have that much power over my ministry or the ministry of the churches in which I serve.

So, when the historic vote approved same-sex marriage in the state of New York on Friday I celebrated the fact that I didn't have to wait for some ecclesial authority to give me or my congregation approval to perform weddings for our gay and lesbian brothers and sister. I was also pleased that the Episcopal diocese that covers Long Island has given its priests and churches permission to perform marriages, as well. But, I still celebrate my congregational polity because such actions by bishops is not always the case..

WMCC made the commitment several years ago to become and 'open and affirming' church. They didn't need the permission of the Regional or Conference Ministers, nor did they have to answer to some higher church body. They made the decision on their own, as led by the Spirit. As I told them this morning in my sermon, 'I am thankful that you made the decision and that the state of New York has finally caught up.'

Now to the BS. Archbishop Timothy F. Dolan made the following statement after the vote. "Our society must regain what it appears to have lost -a true understanding of the meaning and the place of marriage, as revealed by God, ground in nature, and respected by America's foundational principles." I could provide a commentary on the many levels on which Archbishop Dolan's statement is wrong. But why bother. He's the Archbishop -what he says, goes.