A Time for Loyalty

While making one of my occasional visits to Thinking Anglicans (http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/), I was startled to read that Jack Iker, Bishop of Fort Worth, has written an article in the September edition of his diocesan paper, “10 Reasons Why Now Is the Time to Realign.” How can a bishop who openly advises his or her people to depart from The Episcopal Church (TEC) in good conscience remain a bishop of that same Church?

Bishop Terrence Kelshaw earned my respect, and that of many others, when he submitted a letter of renunciation of ministry in TEC after the Province of Uganda had received him. His actions honored both is commitment to TEC and to his own beliefs.

Anyone who remains in TEC when doing so violates his or her beliefs lacks either the courage or integrity to act upon his or her convictions. Financial or employment ties to TEC may cause a lack of moral courage. Inertia, which besets us all, may have the same effect because change is often difficult. Emotionally laden changes are the most difficult. I know that in my life I have on occasion failed to act with appropriate moral courage and can appreciate the difficulties in mustering sufficient moral courage to take the big step of leaving the Church that nurtured one and in which one has ministered for many years.

However, I have far less patience with leaders who openly attempt to subvert an organization after promising to uphold that organization. Bishop Iker’s statement clearly shows that he believes TEC has become apostate. He should have sufficient knowledge of Church canons and history to know that no mechanism exists by which a parish or diocese can depart from TEC. Only individuals, as in the case of Bishop Kelshaw, may depart. Parish and diocesan structures exist as extensions or local expressions of TEC; these structures are not independent free agents.

Integrity demands that Bishop Iker affiliate with the Province of his choosing and renounce his ministry and membership within TEC. The genuinely pastoral response to Bishop Iker, should he fail to take those steps, would be to help him follow the journey of his choosing by deposing him. The deposition should not be vindictive but loving. Sadly, he no longer believes that TEC is faithful. No amount of cajoling, compromising, or patience seems likely to change his mind. Pursuing any of those options dishonors the depth of Bishop Iker’s beliefs. Thus, it seems to me, that TEC has no option but to aid the Bishop in his journey. Allowing him to remain within TEC continues to compromise his integrity and will cause TEC further hurt and difficulties.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes observed,
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose; …
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak… (3:5-7)

The time has come when TEC needs to refrain from attempting to embrace those who want to leave, sadly but with heartfelt blessing lose those who insist on departing, and to speak the message of God's inclusive love without temporizing. In failing to move bravely into the future, TEC compromises its own integrity and dishonors the call from God it has heard.