The future of General Theological Seminary (GTS), the flagship Episcopal Church seminary in New York, is still in doubt tonight after its Board of Trustees ignored pleas from across the world to reinstate sacked faculty members.
Supporters of the eight professors ”“ who were told they had resigned after a work stoppage and letter to press long-term complaints about alleged abusive behaviour by the seminary’s new Dean and President ”“ have expressed distress, dismay and anger at the actions of the GTS Board, its managing body.
They complain that the Board and its chair, Bishop Mark Sisk, have not followed due process or key elements of the seminary’s own guidelines. They say they have effectively ignored requests for a just settlement from 1,200 scholars who have indicated that they are boycotting GTS, and from 1,600 people who have signed a reinstatement petition in the course of the last few days, as well as many others.
There are some interesting details here that — given all the blog vehemence — have not been noted.
1. The expert testimony witness on behalf of TEC is a faculty person at GTS and he did not join the ‘GTS-8’;
2. The canon to the PB is listed as an adjunct faculty person;
3. Obviously faculty persons have been hired and they are teaching courses pro temp; who are they?
4. former PB Griswold was announced as a mediator — what did he conclude/help with?
5. The GTS Board unanimously voted for a plan that only allows faculty who have been let go to reapply for a teaching appointment; sounds like even those sympathetic in some measure voted alongside the majority.
For all their claims to being enlightened, high-minded, “inclusive,” fair and reconciliation-oriented, what you see here is how the Episcopal Church [i]really[/i] operates. This is how progressive leaders (bishops and PB) have treated reaffirming and orthodox clergy, defrocking, black-balling, and excommunicating their critics. Sucks now to be on the receiving end!
Reminds me of Martin Niemoller’s famous statement:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
That said, I have no special insight into the situation, who’s right and who’s wrong, beyond what I’ve read here, in the NYT, and elsewhere. It does say something, though, that the Board unanimously voted to get rid of the faculty. that fact, plus the demands that they have made also suggest to me that it is a good thing to get rid of them. They strike me as whiny trouble-makers who are used to getting their way. Still, I can’t say that what has been done to them is “fair,” but “fair” is not a characteristic that our higher-up leaders have much demonstrated in recent years. “High-handed, scorched earth” would be a better characterization..