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The Bishop of Albany Writes His Clergy
14 April 2005
Dear fellow Clerics,
Awakened at 4:45 this morning reflecting on the major injustice to be perpetrated tomorrow in Connecticut. Six priests, all permanent rectors, are scheduled to get the axe.
This should appall every true liberal, every libertarian, every American who believes in justice and due process. If allowed to stand, it will acquire a kind of normality and thus places every ECUSA priest in direct danger. There is no trial; there is no hearing; there is no defense offered. There is only deposition at the end of 6 months.
In the world of occupations, this is capital punishment. It takes away a priest's job, removes him from the pension fund and insurance, and puts him out on the street. Naturally it will probably lead to more splintering, new churches and a continuing weakening of our communion. What kind of a culture and climate is this creating?
Remember, "when the Nazis came for the Jews, I was not a Jew.communists .Catholics . "etc. It could 'justify' every orthodox bishop to remove Via Media priests until the vegetarian bishops were removing the truly carnal. (Or, how about that cleric who mocked my wife's hat?) We can chuckle, but it could easily be used to avenge old (or new) hates and hurts.
I think that it's true to say that if a conservative bishop used it against a liberal priest that the 815 establishment would rise up with righteous indignation to protest it. But when it's happening to a half dozen priests who are in the ideological minority they don't give a damn. So much for inclusion and tolerance from them.
It's astonishing that as we migrate steadily away from the words of the Scriptures, we are becoming fundamentalists about canon law, using it to knock off theological opponents.
Every one of us priests should be rise up against this and protest it and demand it withdrawal. In fact, this Canon should be extirpated except for its original purpose (of cleaning up the rosters of clergy who have moved to another denomination or religion.) Every cleric (for deacons could be at the same risk) should consider writing or calling or emailing Andrew Smith and Frank Griswold, and getting 1 or 2 other clergy to partner up.
I am sending my communication today. How about you? Can you get some buddies to join in? This is not a liberal/conservative divide. Every cleric is in potential jeopardy.
Bp Andrew Smith's email is adsmith@ctdiocese.org, his telephone number is 860-233-4481 and his mailing address is 1335 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105-2295. Bp Frank Griswold . 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017; Telephone 800 334-7626. Email: pboffice@dfms.org
In Christ,
+ Dan Herzog Deacon, Priest and Bishop
