The House of Bishops: All for One and Some for Something
By William Swing
Thursday, April 21, 2005
In the Houston Airport after the last House of Bishops meeting, I had a brief chat with my long-time and dear friend Ed Salmon, the Bishop of South Carolina. Both of us earnestly hope that a day of candor will come in the House. Ed and I are on opposite sides of the gay-lesbian issues, but we agree that the Episcopal Church would be better served if bishops asked basic questions of each other and were accountable in telling the truth to each other.
He welcomed my first question, "What is the Network really about?" His answer: It is, first of all, anchored in the Episcopal Church. To paraphrase, he stated that it was an organized way for Episcopalians who disagree with the General Convention 2003 homosexual decisions to offer mutual support, to have their voices heard, and to stay in community with the Anglican Communion. That sounds reasonable. In a House of Bishops where over ninety percent of the conservative, liberal, and moderate diocesan bishops are in good standing with each other, perhaps it is tolerable to have a network of bishops who opt out. The body might be able to abide this fracture for a time.
Then we hurried off to airplanes before I could ask all of my questions and he could ask his. Someday before I retire I hope bishops of the House can be honest about our life together and apart. If we ever get around to telling the truth, I would like to know from "the Network bishops":
- Why do you usually avoid House of Bishops meetings? And why will you not go to the altar rail and receive Communion alongside your sister and brother bishops?
If we ever get around to telling the truth, I would like to know from "the Network bishops": Why do you usually avoid House of Bishops meetings? And why will you not go to the altar rail and receive Communion alongside your sister and brother bishops? - Rumor has it that you receive lots of money from private foundations and give it to support African bishops who, in turn, will attack the Episcopal Church. Is there an audit of your receipts and disbursements? Could I review it? What are the goals of the foundations that financially support you? What African bishops receive your money? What American Episcopalians whom you know are on the staffs of African bishops?
- If the bishops of the Episcopal Church are not invited to Lambeth Conference 2008 but the Network bishops with Bishop Robert Duncan as head are invited, will you attend?
- What are the names of Network bishops who have consulted lawyers to ascertain the possibilities of someday separating "Network properties" from "Episcopal Church properties?"
- In what situations around the USA is the Network in conversation with individual congregations, strategizing as to how the congregation can leave the Episcopal Church, take its assets, and join the Network?
Funded by silent, wealthy ideologues, the Grand Plan would produce a sexually pure, globally recognized alternative Episcopal Church with Robert Duncan as Presiding Bishop. A revolution of staggering significance appears to be unfolding in our midst led by hirelings who were put in office to be shepherds. - It is stated that Bishop Duncan is on record as promising "to wage guerilla warfare on the Episcopal Church." Is this true? Also on the House floor he has been accused of paying lay people of his diocese to go to a neighboring diocese to try to persuade conservative members to leave the Episcopal Church and join the Network. Is that true?
When I carry around these questions in my heart and don't speak up, I live with the assumption that the Episcopal Church is in deep denial. We stand quiet while forces within our body seem intent to destroy this body. Yes, most of the Anglican world is furious with us. That's not the point. We knew they would be furious. We knew also that many Episcopalians would find our stance to be intolerable. Good people would leave. But what we didn't count on was what seems to me to be the Grand Plan. Funded by silent, wealthy ideologues, the Grand Plan would produce a sexually pure, globally recognized alternative Episcopal Church with Robert Duncan as Presiding Bishop. A revolution of staggering significance appears to be unfolding in our midst led by hirelings who were put in office to be shepherds. In the past we could always count on loyalty among bishops. Today we can count on disloyalty to the Episcopal Church among a few bishops. Or so it seems. All the while we are mute and excruciatingly polite.
Perhaps there are good and honest answers which will prove my fears false and point out that I have maligned innocent bishops in my silent heart. In that case I would readily apologize. But in the meantime while no one is speaking to tell the truth, a lot of us are left only to sniff an aroma and surmise the source of the smell.
There is probably a volume of honest questions that the Network bishops have of me. Whatever those questions, I stand ready to respond. At the end of the day, I predict the Bishop of South Carolina and the Bishop of California will continue to be friends inside the Episcopal Church.
The Rt. Rev. William E. Swing is bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California and the founder of the United Religions Initiative. He may be reached at bishop@diocal.org.