From Openly Episcopal in Albany:
In a letter intended for members of Albany Via Media, and meant for publication here, Via Media board member Dennis Wisnom argues for taking another look at DEPO, or delegated episcopal pastoral oversight, for parishes in the Diocese of Albany whose pastoral needs are not being met. The DEPO program was announced in 2004 following the House of Bishops meeting at Camp Allen,Texas. Its usefulness was limited, and in practical application only extended to parishes and dioceses opposed to the liberal direction of The Episcopal Church at the time. The fact that is is again being urged is a reflection of the dissatisfaction felt by moderate-to-liberal parishes and members of the Diocese of Albany with the direction of their diocese.
Read it all at OE. Perhaps it's an idea worth trying. What's sauce for the goose....
Dennis Wisnom says:
If Bishop Love is willing to provide DEPO to conservative parishes in liberal dioceses, I think we in the Albany Via Media have an equal right to ask for DEPO as well.
Remember that Bishop Love is one of the seven who recently visited with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and later published a statement which included a request to other like-minded bishops of the Episcopal Church:
5. We encourage Bishops exercising jurisdiction in The Episcopal Church to call upon us for service in needed cases of Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight.
So. How would the Communion Partner bishops respond to the request to have DEPO bishops exercise oversight in their own dioceses to care for moderate and liberal members?
A congregation in the former diocese of Pittsburgh had DEPO (Saint Brendan's where a seminary classmate of mine was rector) -- the former bishop actually agreed to it.
ReplyDeleteCaminante, I did not know that. It's sort of a patchwork accommodation, but better than no oversight. I'd wish that the shepherds would pastor their entire flocks.
ReplyDeleteMimi, I'm with you. I think it's a patchwork solution. I can't think of a better one, however.
ReplyDeleteIf it's wrong for one group in a diocese to have its own personal bishop, it's wrong for any other group.
ReplyDeleteOrmonde, it's not right, except in a "sauce for the goose" way. It's like using a person's own words to best them in an argument. It's saying, "OK, how do you like this when it's turned against you?"
ReplyDeleteWhen your bishop starts tossing words like "Satanic" into the so-called debate, as Bishop Love has, it's time to start thinking about alternatives. He has made it clear that he is everyone's bishop in Albany -- as long as they agree with his bigoted and uninformed opinions.
ReplyDeleteC.W.S., I agree. That's taking it too far. I watched Bp. Love in the video interview after GC09, and it wasn't pretty.
ReplyDelete