Washington DC officials need to immediately address the safety issues of bringing in the over three thousands visitors on the November 12 consecration to the still-fenced off Cathedral. If the request for fifteen million is for only decorative work and not involved with safety issues, then how could FEMA money even be considered for the Cathedral? If this amount of money is for safety issues, then what dangers will be glossed over to allow the November 12 opening of the Cathedral? Engineering reports from the rappellers have not been made public. Have DC officials seen them and will promise the safety of the damaged building? Assuming the Cathedral is safe, the request for FEMA funds becomes a money-grab by officials desiring a newly-decorated Cathedral.

In public releases, Cathedral officials now acknowledge that the damages caused by the original August 23, 2011 earthquake became exacerbated by the August 27 Hurricane Irene. On September 7, a falling crane hit and damaged some buildings on the Cathedral grounds during the 40 MPH windstorm. When trying to right the crane the next day, two workers were hurt and were immediately taken to hospital emergency rooms. In the week of October 13, repairs began when pieces of stone weighing more than two tons were removed from the Central Tower, the most damaged part of the Cathedral.

The dangers of the exacting engineering work performed on the Cathedral towers 500 feet above the ground are paralleled by an urgent need to raise $15 million dollars for repairs after this combination of storms and accidents.

Increasing signs of financial difficulties have surfaced. The financial audit for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2011, has still not been released. According to inside sources, auditors are still asking questions about expenses. On October 18, 2011, the Foundation posted the new job description for the departing COO Joseph W. Smolskis. This job description states the Cathedral's need of "managing the cultural change" within the institution. This new person must help "ensure the long-term fiscal stability" of the organization. Clearly, part of the cultural change needed is that of transparency in this organization, which in recent months has downplayed the difficulties they face.

Yet Mayor Vincent Gray's participation in this distressed institution now adds to the confusion. His statement justifying the proposal for FEMA defines the Cathedral as an iconic monument while dismissing the religious work of this structure. The news that the DC authorities no longer consider the Cathedral only a religious institution might surprise the thousands of Christians who for the past century sent in their checks to build the expensive edifice, as well as support this religious institution. Does "iconic" deserve tax-free status as well as millions in federal funds? Or is Gray trying to begin the process towards claiming the Cathedral as part of the Smithsonian Institution and relieve it of all religious designation?

Mayor Gray's application suggests that we are now in an age of the post-Christian Washington National Cathedral supported by the Federal government. Yet Mayor Gray's disregard for the separation of church and state has drawn ire. According to the Washington Post, the Interfaith Alliance has already stated that FEMA should not be giving money to the Washington National Cathedral. The Los Angeles Times (October 25, 2011) reports that the Americans United for Separation of Church and State also criticize this attempt to claim federal funds. FEMA funds are understood as a means of helping Americans ravaged by storms and in desperate need for shelter, food and clothing rather than putting federal money into the legal re-definition and repairs of the Cathedral.

Yet the reason the Cathedral Foundation suffers these desperate straits can be seen in its unwise borrowing of at least $76 million obtained as tax-free bonds from the DC government. In its Strategic Plan, the Protestant Episcopal Foundation board takes none of the responsibility for the financial disaster at the Cathedral. In its plan, they mention neither the 2005 $32 million tax-exempt loan for the underground parking lot which the Cathedral is responsible for about $12 million. Records from the DC Office of Campaign Finance for July to December 2004 (as well as other years) reveal that the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation was also paying for the lobbying efforts of Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC to get authorization for this bond financing from the DC government. The Foundation received the loan for the parking lot as well as a 2006 $44 million loan for an addition at St. Alban's School.

Yet another shocker is the vision proposed by the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation in its Strategic Plan for the Cathedral years 2012-2014. In the plan released in April 2011, former Dean Samuel Lloyd repeatedly states the theme that now the Cathedral reflects the "new multi-faith, multi-cultural context" in the United States. In what appears to be both a criticism of and an apology for the Christian faith, Lloyd refers to "the waves of new arrivals bringing their faith traditions to the centuries of Christian dominance of American culture." Now for Lloyd and the Foundation board who approved this plan, the Christian faith will become only one of many faith traditions worshipping in the Cathedral.

For all those who notice the declining role of the Christian faith at the Cathedral, the Foundation's strategic plan offers a bone to gnaw on. They write that the Cathedral will be "sustained by our roots in the Christian and Anglican tradition" but the new Cathedral will now be "representing the multi-faith character of our country" in the "iconography, program offerings, and public services for the nation." To achieve this goal they are creating "an advisory board of faith leaders" and they will "establish a permanent presence of other faith traditions at the Cathedral" with "an interfaith chapel." Public worship services for all "significant spiritual events" will be offered at the Cathedral. Their objectives grandly state they will be "the nation's venue of choice for spiritual gatherings."

To make their Strategic Plan even more confusing, the Foundation's statement does not address the simple reality that in Northwest Washington, DC most religions and faiths already have major buildings and worship sites. For example, an Islamic mosque lies within about one mile of the Cathedral. So is the Cathedral now moving into a new adversarial relationship with other religions as it competes for publicity-rich services conducted by and for major leaders?

The new Strategic Plan seems to say that we are now not a nation under God, but a nation under many gods with its worship services and icons from all faiths and spiritualities. Any "significant spiritual event" seems to be welcome. Such a phrase seems to include everything. Are we talking about major faiths: Islam, Buddhist, Hindu, and Taoist? Are we going to include smaller groups such as Rastafarians, Shamanism, and Voodoo? How about those who participate in Wiccan and Devil Worship? Where would this end? And after participating in these blended spiritualities, what leader would have the spiritual clarity to say no to anything? Or is the Cathedral moving towards an eventual polytheism in its new iconic status?

Hullinger calls the Cathedral "more than just a church" with Gray stating "more than a religious institution." What could be more than serving and worshipping the living Christ? The term they needed is "less"-the Cathedral is now less than a religious institution. The Cathedral has shrunk and faded away to the level of icon. One huge question emerges in all of this: what theologian, if any, vetted this Strategic Plan?

The Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation needs to step up to offer a full explanation of and take responsibility for the Cathedral's multitudinous disasters: a dangerous Cathedral environment that stills plan on hosting the November 12 consecration of Mariann Budde; shaky finances; an unhealthy inside culture practicing secrecy; the challenge to destroy the separation of church and state; a new competitive attitude towards other faiths and their worshipping edifices; and blended spiritual practices. All these disasters now surround and envelop this formerly Christian Cathedral dedicated by faithful people to serve the purposes of the nation.

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Sarah Frances Ives is a frequent contributor to Virtueonline