The Lead

A memo by the late Colin Slee reveals fighting at the highest levels of the Church of England over the question of whether gay clergy might become bishops, The Guardian's Andrew Brown reports.

The fraught divisions have been laid bare in the leak of an anguished and devastating memorandum written by the Very Rev Colin Slee, the former dean of Southwark Cathedral, shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer last November. Dr Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, and John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, vetoed candidates from becoming bishops of the south London diocese.
The document reveals shouting matches and arm-twisting by the archbishops to keep out the diocese's preferred choices as bishop: Jeffrey John, the gay dean of St Albans, and Nicholas Holtam, rector of St Martin-in-the-Fields in central London, whose wife was divorced many years ago. Eventually Christopher Chessun, then an assistant bishop, was chosen.

Slee also in effect charges the church with hypocrisy, stating that there are several gay bishops "who have been less than candid about their domestic arrangements and who, in a conspiracy of silence, have been appointed to senior positions". The memo warns: "This situation cannot endure. Exposure of the reality would be nuclear."

Slee said of the meeting: "We had two very horrible days in which I would say both archbishops behaved very badly. The meeting was not a fair consideration at all; they were intent on wrecking both Jeffrey John and Nick Holtam equally, despite the fact that their CVs were startlingly in an entirely different and better league than the other two candidates …"

Comments (15)

This is appalling.

Posted by Hugh Magee, | May 25, 2011 5:05 PM

This is extremely depressing. It demonstrates that Williams and Sentamu are deeply committed to the institutionalized bigotry that now prevails in most of the Anglican Communion, and willing to act ruthlessly against gay Christians who attempt to rise above what the archbishops regard as their station.

Posted by Jim Naughton | May 25, 2011 5:19 PM

You left out an important passage: "Slee described Williams shouting and losing his temper in last year's Southwark meeting, which left several members of the crown nomination committee, responsible for the selection of bishops, in tears."

I think it is important to share this little tid-bit far and wide, to show just how that man behaves and how far he will go.

Dennis Roberts

Posted by Dennis | May 25, 2011 5:20 PM

The true personal character of Dr. Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, keeps being exposed to us, like it or not-- it´s very sad to know that the ¨first amongst¨ us is far more interested in ¨appearances¨ than personal integrity (his as well as over peoples)...of course, the skydiving/tentresiding, Lord of York gives ¨appearances¨ all new meaning.

Posted by Len C | May 25, 2011 5:22 PM

This memo will be extremely damaging to Bishop Christopher as he starts his ministry as Bishop of Southwark. It exposes him as "third" choice, and to compare and contrast him to Jeffrey John and Nick Holtam is very unfair. There is a Bishop's Council meeting tomorrow and I'll be taking soundings as to what people think of it. But Colin, bless him, is stirring up the crap even beyond the grave. In death, as he did in life.

Posted by Chris Hansen | May 25, 2011 5:25 PM

As a corrective, note that Nick Holtam was appointed Bishop of Salisbury last month, a see of some perhaps greater weight than Southwark.

Posted by tobias haller | May 25, 2011 5:26 PM

Well, who can be surprised?

Shouting matches. Homosexuals. Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda.

It is bad for the Episcopal Church's mission in the USA, 2011 to remain connected to the rotten Church of England.

Think the unthinkable. Declare independence. We've done it before and we can do it again.

Let the next Archbishop repair the damage - because there's no hope at all with this one. He'd sell his Mother to save face for the Empire, while we have a Gospel to be loyal to.

Posted by Josh Thomas | May 25, 2011 5:36 PM

I am sorry for Bishop Christopher. I know nothing about him, but this should not reflect badly on HIM.
Now the ABC and Sentamu are a different story. Threats, intimidation and bullying do not appear to be absent from their methods. It is a disgrace of course. I, however, am grateful to the late V. Rev. Slee for showing us a "real" side of the ABC at least. We know, of course, that it continues to be quite a bit about the "colonial" power of the C of E. Should there be a gay bishop, however lilly white celibate, appointed in the UK, we know what non-white substance will hit the fan for the "global south," Africa, Asia, etc. in regards to the "authority" of our beloved "instrument of communion" and "primus inter pares." If there was a "last straw" against the Anglican Covenant (call it the extortionist blackmail that it is), this is it. Not "Hell no!" but "for heavens sake" no.

Posted by Jeffrey L. Shy, M.D. | May 25, 2011 5:39 PM

Call me crazy, but I am elated.

Why? Because Slee reveals what we all knew. There is rot at the core.

His memo is spine tingling.

This should seal the fate of the Anglican Covenant as far as The Episcopal Church taking it seriously. We should we want to sign a contract with the ABC?

Three cheers for Dean Slee.

Posted by John B. Chilton | May 25, 2011 5:45 PM

So much for bonds of "luvvvvv" and affection. So much for personal integrity with respect to either Archbishop. So much for a process that might lead to inclusion through even those marvelous "Indaba" groupings.

What peeved the ++ABC was that he could not go on back stabbing in secret while maintaining a public face of equanimity. He was outraged that their secret conversations leaked. Thanks be to God for Dean Wiki-Slee and God rest his soul.

Some Deputies to GC and people in general keep thinking that TEC can get fair treatment within the ++Williams administration. This leak should dash any such expectation.

++Williams has allowed the bullydox to appropriate the property and assets of TEC without so much as a stern word much less rebuke to the alienators. He has cost TEC millions of dollars in legal fees and as I deputy I for one will vote to cut all money to the WWAC and divert it to paying those fees and helping remaining groups rebuild.

On the inclusive side, he is allowing a high ranking freemason to become a Bishop. Will the Masonic loincloth be worn under or over the Cope at funerals?

Posted by Michael Russell | May 25, 2011 6:22 PM

@ Michael R: there is no need to attack a group of which many of us are proud and active members. One can be a good Episcopalian and a Mason, too. Trying to compare Rowan's boorish behavior in this committee meeting to the appointment of a man who happens to belong to a fraternal order (that does a lot of good) is a little uncalled for.

Posted by Dennis | May 25, 2011 6:52 PM

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