The Lead

The Rt. Rev. William Love of the Diocese of Albany is in a quandary. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, who is extremely popular with the faithful, but not with Bishop Love and the leaders of his diocese, is coming to town. He can't tell her to stay home--the visit is canonically mandated--but he doesn't want her appearance to energize the moderate and progressive Episcopalians who constitute a far larger portion of his diocese than he would like to admit. What to do?

Well, you could limit the number of people who will have an opportunity to see Bishop Jefferts Schori, and limit her opportunities to speak. The folks at Openly Episcopal in Albany see the matter this way:

Bishop Love’s letter makes it clear that his goal is to “share with her the many different aspects of our diocesan life and ministry together. We have much to share with the wider Church.” But what about the message that the Presiding Bishop has to give to the Diocese of Albany? Are we open to listening to her as she shares what The Episcopal Church is doing and becoming? Are the leaders of our diocese as eager to be taught as they are to teach? Once again the diocese is conveying an attitude of exceptionalism that places higher value on our own gifts and ministries than on those to be found in the wider Church.
Nor do the venues chosen for her visit permit the Presiding Bishop the time and audience appropriate to her position or her message. Priests will be granted access to the Presiding Bishop on one occasion, and deacons on another, but there is no gathering in which the leader of our national church can address all interested laity, let alone the general public. At the Saturday healing service, the one event advertised as open to all, the letter says only that “the Presiding Bishop will be invited to be part of the prayer team.” Apparently no sermon, no questions, no answers.

The next occasion at which The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori can meet members of the diocese is one that invites only a small representation of laity. Nor is it a convenient time for laity in our far-flung diocese to meet the Presiding Bishop. Several members of the diocese have pointed out to Albany Via Media that having to be absent from one’s own parish on any Sunday, especially Lent 1, would discourage many otherwise interested Episcopalians from attending the Cathedral service and reception.

A member of AVM who has attended both conventions of neighboring dioceses has noted that the Presiding Bishop was much more accessible to the people when she attended the diocesan conventions of Western New York and Central New York. It is notable that the Presiding Bishop has not received an invitation to address a convention of the Diocese of Albany. Bishop Love has proudly described our diocesan convention as “a family reunion.” One must conclude, then, that the Presiding Bishop is not part of our family, not one of “us”. Nor, apparently, is she a guest who can be invited to speak freely or at any length within the family circle.

It is true that the Presiding Bishop typically draws large crowds, and that she is extremely effective in a town hall format. It is too bad that the people of Albany won't have a chance to interact with her more directly--but perhaps the Albany media--who don't report to Bishop Love--can be prevailed upon to give the Presiding Bishop a greater audience.

Comments (8)

Those of us in the Diocese of Albany who support the Episcopal Church and its Presiding Bishop are indeed glad that she is making a visit to our Diocese. However, her limited exposure to many of us makes us wonder what our Diocesan leadership had in mind.. to me, they may be afraid that once people actually met and heard her speak they might actually like her and her portayal by Diocesan leaders as something other than Christian would fly out the window. Either way,thank you at the Cafe for letting the wider Church know of our continuing dilemmas here in DoA!!!
Richard Angelo
Integrity Coordinator, Diocese of Albany

Posted by Richard Angelo | February 28, 2011 6:37 PM

Jim, a small point. You write:
"He can't tell her to stay home--the visit is canonically mandated--but he doesn't want her appearance to energize the moderate and progressive Episcopalians who constitute a far larger portion of his diocese than he would like to admit. What to do?"

Doesn't the canonical mandate, Canon I.2 at section 4(6), fall more on the Presiding Bishop than on Diocesans? In any case the announcement by the Diocese here states that the Presiding Bishop will be visiting at the invitation of Bishop Love.

Posted by William F. Hammond | February 28, 2011 6:47 PM

I spent a good deal of time in this diocese in the early 90s (all of the Summer of '93). Prayers ascending, for its full reconciliation to the rest of TEC.

JC Fisher

Posted by tgflux | March 1, 2011 1:56 AM

William, the mandate at I.2.4.a.6 is addressed to the PB, which is why no "invitation" is necessary for the PB to carry out her mandate. The custom of bishops issuing such "invitations" may be a residue of politeness from more gracious times, or a recognition of convenience for scheduling, or both, but such an invitation is not required for the PB to make such an official visitation.

Posted by tobias haller | March 1, 2011 3:05 PM

“Light meets bushel in the Diocese of Albany”

That’s right. Never mind about the possibility that Love might be genuinely concerned about what the PB might say unchallenged in such a forum. Just start in with the vapid, boilerplate sloganeering. How about, “Clanging gong goes to Albany to oppose Love”.

Posted by rfisher | March 1, 2011 3:30 PM

As a priest in the diocese of Albany, I am thrilled that the PB is coming and I will be attending the day-long meeting with her that is designated for priests. I am one of the many moderate-liberal folks in the diocese, a large minority whose voice is never acknowledged as legitimate. In Democracy in America deTocqueville issued a warning about the tyranny of the majority, and the evidence of his point is right here in the DoA.

Posted by Ann Gaillard | March 1, 2011 3:54 PM

"Never mind about the possibility that Love might be genuinely concerned about what the PB might say unchallenged in such a forum. "

RFisher, you are basically admitting here that the Bishop is afraid of letting the diocese hear from the PB. If you think that casts him in a favorable light, you are mistaken.

Posted by Jim Naughton | March 1, 2011 3:54 PM

"Perhaps the Albany media...can be prevailed upon to give the Presiding Bishop a greater audience." Unfortunately, this is the same diocese that shuns the "secular press" and extols the virtues of David Virtue. If members of the press show up at any of the events planned by the diocese, they will be politely but firmly shown the door. Perhaps they can make an appearance incognito.

Posted by John White | March 3, 2011 9:55 PM

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