Clair “Toby” Touby and others are concerned that Bishop William Love is trying to lead the Diocese of Albany out of the Episcopal Church altogether.
“He says he is not going to leave, but actions speak louder than words,” Touby said.
Touby, who lives in Saranac Lake, is the president of Albany Via Media, a group of moderate to liberal Episcopalians. He has been urging parishioners to attend a series of meetings Love has held throughout the diocese in the past few weeks.
No, it’s over the question of what role the authority of Scripture and the witness of 2000 years of Church teaching/Tradition have in the life of the Church.
Silly reporters.
I chuckle when I read the phrase “moderate to liberal” as a description of “Via Media” Episcopalians. “Moderate” is never defined; if such a creature exists, it is quickly swallowed up and smothered by the “liberal Episcopalian”.
“moderate”. That’s a good laugh.
Maybe the intent was to state that Albany Via Media is a grouping of liberal to ‘obdurate’ individuals.
Bishop Love has a diffcult situation. From 2002 through 2007, Members and ASA declined while increases in Plate & Pledge failed to keep up with inflation. The diocese is also aging as seen in 2007 when there were 282 Infant Baptisms and 419 Burials. But the key factor here is that 88 percent (106 of 120) of his churches in 2007 had Plate & Pledge of less than $150,000. And only ONE church had more than $300,000. Churches with small funds are not likely rebels. Even if Bishop Love wanted to lead his diocese out of TEC, I would predict that he would not succeed. (Of course, if the New York courts would allow a diocese to leave with its property, then we have a whole new ballgame.) Statmann
Statmann (#5),
Great use of stats, as usual. It provides a helpful perspective.
As a former priest of the Albany diocese, I’m glad you pointed out how overwhelmingly it’s comprised of small churches. It’s a very rural diocese once you get beyond the “Capital District” (as locals call the metropolitan Albany-Schenectady-Troy area). And even within the Albany beltway, there are virtually no large churches either. It’s almost shocking. As you note, only ONE parish in the whole diocese with an annual Plate and Pledge income over $300K. Sad, but true.
However that fact, and the very uncertain legal prospect of taking the property with them in a state like NY, aren’t the only things I think are holding +Love back. My sense is that he genuinely feels committed to staying in TEC as long as possible (and maybe longer). He has publicly stated over and over that he’s totally committed to being BOTH Anglican and Episcopal, as long as it’s possible to be both.
Now I regard that as an honorable position, one he shares with fine orthodox bishops like Jim Stanton and John Howe, etc.
Of course, I also fundamentally disagree with the good bishop, and that’s why I finally chose to leave Albany and TEC this past summer. I got tired of waiting.
But to his credit, let me add that +Love gave me the Letter Dimissory I asked him for, and transferred me without hesitation to the care and oversight of +John Guernsey of the ACNA. Few bishops in TEC these days are willing to defy the wishes of the PB or their colleagues in the HoB on that score the way that +Bill Love does. And I’m not the only case.
But the more “hotheads” like me that leave, the fewer voices remain behind calling for the whole diocese to depart TEC. But it’s worth noting that so far, Albany is one of the few dioceses where not a single conservative parish has opted to leave TEC, despite the presence of many strongly orthodox congregations.
David Handy+