Bishop Paul V. Marshall of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem began a sabbatical Aug. 1 that will lead to his retirement on Jan. 1, 2014, from a position he has held for 17 years.
Marshall, 66, said he is retiring for reasons of advanced age.
At the beginning of the month, he turned over ecclesiastical authority to the diocese’s standing committee, which consists of five lay and five ordained members. The Rev. Canon Andrew T. Gerns of Trinity Episcopal Church in Easton is president of the committee.
Does 66 qualify as “advanced age”?? I can certainly imagine that 17 years as bishop would wear on a man. But that seems like an odd way to phrase it.