The Rev. William Melnyk, former rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Downingtown, resigned from the church in late 2004 amid investigations that he and his wife, the Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk, wrote two druidic ceremonies as suggestions for women’s liturgies. The druids were a Celtic sect that predates Christianity.
At the conclusion of the investigation, Bishop Charles E. Bennison declined to suspend the two priests from the church.
Ruppe-Melnyk still serves as the rector of St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church in Willistown.
Melnyk said recently that Bishop Bennision agreed to reinstate him if Melnyk could agree to not write or speak about Celtic spirituality. Melnyk said he could not agree to those terms and that it became evident earlier this year that his reinstatement was not going to happen.
Does anyone know the details of what happened with the two Druids, during the investigation and after? I remember following it at the time but lost track of it amidst the subsequent variations of TEC clerics: Muslim priests, apostate PBs, Buddhist priests, lesbian bishops, etc.
The article as written seems to have contradictory claims. On the one hand it says “At the conclusion of the investigation, Bishop Charles E. Bennison declined to suspend the two priests from the church.” But then it goes on to say that “Melnyk said recently that Bishop Bennision agreed to reinstate him if Melnyk could agree to not write or speak about Celtic spirituality” — which suggests that the bishop DID suspend the male druid from something or other.
Also does anyone know why some kind of restriction was placed against the male druid, but not the female druid/priest? (Honestly, TEC clerics often sound like dual-class characters from D&D.)
[blockquote] Melnyk said recently that Bishop Bennision agreed to reinstate him if Melnyk could agree to not write or speak about Celtic spirituality. [/blockquote] Evidently it’s OK to believe in pagan religion just so long as you don’t write about it.
carl
What’s the problem with druidism in TEC? Putting down the roots into Mother Earth, right along with mother Jesus, the very thing, right down TEC’s alley. Druidism fleshes out Christianity doesn’t it, the inclusive thing into reality? Don’t ask, don’t tell wont do for TEC either.
Groan. Larry
I really, really doubt that Chuck Bennison was prohibiting Bill from writing about “Celtic” spirituality. I’ll bet it had more to do with the deliberate syncretism of new-agey revived faux druidisim and Christianity.
[blockquote]So I then thought, here’s an opportunity to do church the way I think it ought to be done[/blockquote]
That quote truly says it all. It’s all the the individual’s (my way or the highway) about to “do church,” as if the Church is something you just “do.”
Ironically, simply “doing Church” by the individual because “I think it ought to be done” this way, is so inherently not Celtic thinking or philosophy in any way, shape, or form.
Jon: If I remember correctly, Melnyk was never suspended, but instead resigned his orders when it became evident that he was guilty as charged. The reinstatement the article mentions presumably would have been reinstatement to orders. As for why no action was ever taken against Mrs. Melnyk…your guess is as good as mine.