Openly Episcopal in Albany

Can the Cost be Justified?

Thanks to Carolyn D'Agostino, a Facebook friend who brought this blog posting to my attention.  It is from the pen of John Shore, a (straight, married) Christian writer who has been "trying God's patience" quite a bit of late.  The news hits close to home, as it involves the death of a young person from a place not far from here.  Can we in the Diocese of Albany read it and not feel just a twinge of recognition?

Jamey Rodemeyer is a 14-year-old gay kid from Buffalo, NY, who earlier this week, after years of being bullied, committed suicide.

If you’re a Christian who believes that being gay is a morally reprehensible offense against God, then you share a mindset, worldview, and moral structure with the kids who hounded Jamey Rodemeyer, literally, to death. It is your ethos, your convictions, and your theology that informed, supported, and encouraged their cruelty.

We Christians who believe that God created gay people as much in His own image as he did straight people are begging you to reconsider your theology — to do nothing more than be open to an alternative, fully credible, scholastically sound interpretation of one or two lines from Paul.

How can you be unwilling to do something so simple, when you see the horrible ultimate cost of that refusal?

Christ died so that you could love more. And now you’re part of a system that allows that same Christ to be used as a moral justification for the most vile kind of abuse. How could that have happened? How could something so right have gone so wrong?

Turn, friend. And when you do, open your arms. Discover waiting to embrace you a new Christ behind the relative shell of the one you inherited. Jesus Christ died for your sins. That was unthinkably beautiful. Now Jamey Rodemeyer has died from your sins. That is not. That is the very hell that, awfully enough, you’ve somehow tricked yourself into believing your life refutes.

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.

A Letter from Bishop Love

Earlier this evening I sent a heartfelt email to the Bishop of Albany, William Love:

I, along with a great many members of the Diocese of Albany, are dismayed that there has been no official reaction to the devastation that has befallen so many communities within your episcopal care. Please read the posting on Openly Episcopal in Albany, including in particular the comments made in response. Please consider a pastoral letter to your flock, and to the larger community, even at this late date. It would go a long way to relieve the hurt felt by so many in our region.

Later this same evening, I found the following reply in my email Inbox, which I am happy to share with you:

Dear John,
     Thank you for your email and most especially your concern for all the victims of Irene.  You are justified in your criticism that I have not responded publicly to the devastation of Irene, much of which occurred in our own Diocese.  Right after the storm hit, I began calling the clergy in the areas that I was aware of that had been hit especially hard.  The report I kept getting from most of the parishes is that the parishes themselves escaped with little to any damage.  Some of the parishioners suffered flooded basements, etc.  Tragically I am aware of two people related to our parishes that died as a result of the storm.  Before sending out a statement, I was trying to get a better sense of the loss to our parishes and parish families.  I regret not first offering a public prayer or word of comfort immediately following the storm.  The damage assessment could come later.  That was a mistake on my part for which I apologize. 
     While no public statements were made, as mentioned, I was making private calls and have been in touch with Ms. Nelson at ERD.  Before making an official appeal to ERD, we have been trying to discern what was actually needed.  That is still underway.  One of the lessons learned in all of this is that our Diocese is not currently prepared to respond to large scale disasters such as Irene.  I have already met with some of the Diocesan staff to begin working on this so that we can be better prepared in the future.  I was in the process of working on a Diocesan Update mentioning Irene, when I received your email.  I hope to have that out tomorrow (Wednesday).

Yours in Christ,
+William H. Love

No Help From Diocese in Time of Trouble

It has been a week since tropical storm  Irene barged through Upstate New York, leaving flooding, property damage and ruined crops in its wake.  Various churches and denomination have offered prayers and relief efforts for those effected.  The brunt of the local storm was felt in New York counties that fall within the Diocese of Albany.  What has been the response of the diocese?  Not a word.

Other Episcopal dioceses in the Northeast provided their parishioners with resources to prepare for the storm and recovery support after Irene passed.  The Diocese of Newark posted continuous updates on its website and Bishop Beckwith issued a pastoral letter following the storm.  Likewise, the Diocese of Connecticut, the Diocese of New Jersey, the Diocese of Massachusetts and the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, among others, used their websites to keep their people apprised of the progress of the storm and efforts to clean up afterward.    

Among other Christian communities, the Roman Catholic Church seems to have been the most prepared, canceling services and opening churches and schools as shelters, from Staten Island and Manhattan to upstate.  Other denominations that led preparations for the storm include the United Methodists and the Evangelical Lutherans.  Following the storm many church groups, among them the Baptists, the Christian Reformed denomination, and our Presbyterian neighbors offered material help and prayers.  These links are just a sample of the outpouring of Christian concern from other branches of the Church.

Within the borders of the Diocese of Albany, from the Catskils to the Canadian border, "the amount of damage is devastating," in the words of Gov. Cuomo. In Upstate New York, the town of Windham was literally wiped out and local emergency services were completely overwhelmed.  In Greene County the Schoharie River overlowed, causing major damage, while Schenectady County was flooded by the rising Mohawk.

This disaster is not in some remote country, it has happened right on our doorstep, within our own diocese, and to our own people.  Where are the words of comfort, Bishop Love?

In the absence of any material support or spiritual guidance from our own diocese, let us pray with our Lutheran brothers and sisters this prayer offered by their bishop:

Oh God, who in Jesus stills the storm and soothes the troubled heart, bring hope and courage to all who are afflicted by this flood as we await in uncertainty.  You are God and we need you.  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen