Bishop Love's Unscripted Comments

Bishop Love was interviewed on July 29 by Anglican TV for his reactions to the Marriage Equality law in New York State.  The interviewer was Kevin Kallsen, backed up by George Conger.  Anglican TV is an Internet-based news and editorial content provider that is strongly neo-orthodox in the opinions expressed. In practice, Anglican TV takes every opportunity to criticize the programs and policies of The Episcopal Church, while praising the activities of ACNA and GAFCON.

The interview in question was a short part of the weekly feature called Anglican Unscripted, and begins approximately at  minute 22:13 of the 30 minute episode.  All of the interviewer’s questions sought to provoke intemperate reactions from Bishop Love.  While he did not strongly criticize TEC policies or the actions of New York representatives, he again defended the diocese’s opposition to marriage equality and held up the discriminatory canon passed in 2008 as a model for diocesan “flexibility”.  The interviewer’s line of questioning ended inconclusively, but it is likely that this will not be the last time our Bishop Love submits to questions posed to him by Anglican TV.

Since the existence of the interview has not been made widely known, and is somewhat difficult to follow online, I have made a transcrip of the exchange:

Kevin:  I’m on the line here with the Bishop of Albany, Bishop Bill Love.  We're going to discuss here for a few moments the ramifications of a new law passed here in New York State, a law that says that any same sex couple can be married, which is certainly a violation of the canons of our Church. But I’m wondering what the ramifications are for the Diocese of Albany?

Bishop Love: Thank you Kevin.  Unfortunately this was not unexpected.  We had hoped and prayed that it would not happen, but there has been a movement for the last several years in New York to try to ask for same gender, same sex marriage legislation.  In anticipation of that, the Diocese of Albany a few years ago, in 2008, passed two canons which pretty much explained the diocese’s understanding of marriage and how the clergy and the diocese of albany would participate in the sacrament of marriage.  Both canons recognize that marriage, as we understand God intended it, was to be between one man and one woman, and it is that union that the church can participate in and bless. And we believe that it is the union, the desire of the couple to include God and our Lord in their marriage together.  And so the two canons pretty much stipulate what we can and cannot do in terms of participation in marriage ceremonies.

If you like I can share those with you and that will help clarify where we are.  I just recently sent out a pastoral letter to the diocese, again reminding the clergy and the people of the action that was taken in 2008.  Canon 16:1 states that “a member of the clergy..." [Here Bishop Love reads the entire section of canon].  Canon 16:2 states “properties owned…" [Again the entire section is read].  So essentially those two canons outline how we will respond to anyone who comes to the Church and asks to be married. Those are the guidelines that we have that were overwhelmingly passed by 80% of the diocese a few years ago, at the 2008 convention.  And that’s the guidelines that we will continue to follow, which is essentially the Church's practice up until now.

Kevin: Yeah, that’s 2000 years of Church policy right there. And very concisely.  You have a very good canon lawyer.  The way the law is written right now, they aren’t forcing churches to marry.  Do you foresee a time in the future that the law changes and churches are forced to adhere to this law?

Bishop Love:  No one knows for sure what going to happen.  I’m very thankful that New York State legislation and the Governor saw the wisdom in allowing those of us who are unable to support this law to have the freedom not to participate in it.  And it’s my hope and prayer that that understanding continues.  I’m sure that there are individuals who would like to eliminate any possibility of me or others from declining to officiate in the marriage of same sex unions.  But that’s, again nobody knows how that’s going to turn out.  But at the time being we do have that flexibility in the canons that were passed, even though other Episcopal dioceses in New York State may choose to respond differently.  In fact, most of them have chosen to respond differently.  We still have the flexibility within the Diocese to honor that which we believe the Lord is calling us to in terms of exercising the Sacrament of Marriage within the Church.

Kevin: Do you expect any pressure from the National Church in this?

Bishop Love:  Again, I pray that there is not.  In the pastoral directive, or the pastoral letter, that was sent out to the clergy and the people of the diocese, I did copy the Presiding Bishop.  I also copied the other bishops in New York State, so they are all aware of the policies within Albany, and so far I have not heard from anyone regarding it.

Kevin:  [speaking as the credits roll across the screen]  See, the courts are everywhere, and if the law… well I could go on forever.  That’s this weeks’ news.

Comments

[Robert T Dodd]

Albany's homophobic canons are three, not two. Don't forget the one concerning discernment for ordination, which has cost the diocese many devout and talented prospects for orders.

Lurking behind all such canons is hidebound ignorance, which is unseemly for any Christian and fatal for a leader. As Dean Spanley says in the fine movie of the same name, "Only a closed mind is certain."

[Harriet Warnock-Graham]

It seems to me it's time to go all Elizabethan on this diocese and stop employing the dainty euphemisms behind which we've allowed the diocese to both hide and control the framing of the issue.

I refer to the two crotch canons, euphemistically called the "marriage canons", by our delicate bishops. Though crude,it brings things right down to where the local hiearchy's mind is operating. Unfortunately the view from the bishop's throne is directed exactly there which seems to make it all but impossible for Bishop Love to respond in any useful way or to the deeply painfully physical, mental, and economic disasters that the people of this diocese are experiencing.

Dead is "dead" not "passed over", a toilet is a toilet, not a "little girl's or (boy's) room", and the new canons are not about dedication to the sanctity of marriage but about the queasy response of our all-together too many bishops to what they perceive to be disgusting sexual practices and perversions.

[Richard Angelo]

Bishop Love indicates in this interview that "there are individuals who would like to eliminate any possibility of me or others from declining to officiate in the marriage of same sex unions." This is totally untrue. The State Laws specify that no religious group would be forced to officiate or celebrate a same sex marriage if they chose not to. What Bp. Love has done with the canon is eliminate the possibility of any clergy doing so at all thus eliminating any of the "generous pastoral concern" that the Church has wanted.

[Suzi Ruota]

What the good Bishop failed to reveal in this conversation was the total percentage of dioceses represented at this meeting where canons 16.1 and 16.2 were passed by 80%! Beware those who only shine light on THEIR side of a tale!

[Judy Duncan]

Why would anybody in their right mind ask Bishop Love to officiate at their marriage??? same-sex or not???? Good thing he has protected himself!!!! LOL!!!!

[Robert T Dodd]

Bp. Love claims that the DoA has "flexibility" with respect to marriage. Nonsense! Other New York dioceses have offered their parishes choices: No priest is obliged to marry or bless same sex couples. Bp. Love offers all of us a stone wall.

If other bishops have not spoken to +Bill about his Diktat, they are probably following the advice of Thumper's mother: "If you can't say nothin' nice, don't say nothin' at all!"