The Diocese of Alabama plans to elect its suffragan bishop on Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m. at Cathedral Church of the Advent. Whoever is elected will be consecrated and take office Jan. 12.
“From that point on, that person would be doing bishop work,” Burnette said. That includes voting in the House of Bishops, which takes stands on issues and helps set policy for the church. At its next meeting Sept. 19-25 in New Orleans, the House of Bishops is expected to respond to the Anglican primates, or archbishops, who asked for an apology.
“It’s all about what we deal with on a local level,” said the Rev. Robert Childers, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Anniston and one of the candidates for suffragan bishop. “How do we deal with each other, how does our faith in Christ inform how we live together? And do we want to live together? I think we need to stay engaged with each other, that’s the key, stay in conversation, stay in fellowship, break bread together. The danger in our society is to walk away so quickly.”
The other candidates for suffragan bishop are the Rev. Alicia Schuster-Weltner, canon for congregational development for the Diocese of Atlanta; the Rev. Kee Sloan, rector of St. Thomas Church in Huntsville; the Rev. Pat Wingo, rector of St. Thomas Church in Birmingham; and the Rev. William Andrew Waldo, who is from Montgomery and is now rector of Trinity Church in Excelsior, Minn.
“It’s the first time we’re all together,” Burnette said. “The focus is discernment of what God is calling the diocese to do, rather than vying for power.”
“How do we deal with each other, how does our faith in Christ inform how we live together? And do we want to live together? I think we need to stay engaged with each other, that’s the key, stay in conversation, stay in fellowship, break bread together. The danger in our society is to walk away so quickly.”
well, how does one define “so quickly”? if, as I believe, he is referring to ECUSA strife, it’s been 4 years post Robinson. we passed “quickly” several years ago I think….
Actually, I think the date would be a lot earlier than that — just in terms of dealing with the issue of homosexuality, we should begin with the formation of Integrity (sic), or perhaps with the ordination of the first known non-celibate person with same-sex attraction. That issue alone is over twenty years old.
And the issues of the uniqueness of Christ and many other Chritological and soteriological issues are even older. We are nowhere near “quickly.”
Typical. No one knows if Mark Lawerence will be consecreated, ever. But we ALL already know the new suffragan of Alabama will be consecrated on January 12.
I go to Advent in Birmingham; it’s really weird that our parish at the Cathedral is very orthodox, our Dean is (from what I can tell, since I only started going in July) a pro-Windsor guy while our Bishop seems to be a bit more wishy-washy when it comes to Windsor.
“We are as free of politics as in any diocese around.” Yeah, right…
Is there any chance that any of the nominees are even slightly orthodox?
the snarkster
one of them is (can’t remember which)…better question: does he have a chance to get elected?
#4… Another three cheers for Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham. The cathedral has always combined complete rootedness in orthodox doctrine with gentleness and love for all sinners (i.e. every person there). The former dean (Paul Zahl) was like that and so is the new dean. Very different guys but alike in that way.
Good luck in your new home! And if you have a moment, give my love to John Harper and Joe Warren, two wonderful canons there. (The others are no doubt good folks too, but they arrived after I moved to Atlanta.)
David Keller #3, my humble opinion has remained, consistently that Rev. Lawrence WILL be consecrated as the next Bishop of TEC South Carolina. How do I know this? Simply by being a student of human nature and strategic thinking. The last Lawrence+ kerfluffle was simply for TEC to make it clear to SC that TEC is in charge. Depending on whose view you take, SC obsequiously, or graciously submitted to that. For TEC to withold consent again, will force SC’s hand about staying in TEC.
Don’t worry folks, you will get your Bishop. The question you have to ask is, is that all you want?
#9 William–I basically agree, but it is still irksome how it has been handled. And, sadly, I am in ragingly moderate Upper SC, not SC (or as we used to call it in happier times, “Baja South Carolina”).
Such good news. They are about discerment. Well. Discenrnent is so….so…. so…. I don’t know…so discerning. Larry
I would not get my hopes up. Look at the last B.S. ( Bishop Suffergan ) in Alabama.
I am also an Adventer, and get the sense that if there is an orthodox person among the group, his/her chances of being elected are not very high. The whole ECUSA enterprise is to me irrelevant, and I am not getting into too much of a kerfluffle over this election. I do not give a penny to any ECUSA establishment outside my parish (ie: I do not contribute to the diocese or the national church).
The six candidates were each asked the following three questions:
Robert Childers responds to question #1:
All answers of the candidates are printed in the Diocesan newspaper, The Apostle, but not on the diocesan website. Does anyone have a way to transfer them to the web? (other than to hand copy them)