Setting the Record Straight (part two)

Some people who have read the news over the past several years concerning my relationship to Bishop Bennison would ask me, “Haven’t you disobeyed Bishop Bennison? I have heard that you were unwilling to welcome him to your parish.” The Canon of The Episcopal Church that directs a bishop to make a visit to parishes was enacted to remedy a specific situation in Philadelphia. Many years ago, the Bishop of Pennsylvania refused to make a visit to St. Clement’s Church because he disagreed with their Anglo-Catholic worship and liturgical emphases. A national Canon was added to the Canons of the Church that directed each and every bishop to initiate a visit to all parishes. No parish could be ignored, and discriminated against because of the bishop’s liturgical position and values or of those of a particular parish that was part of a particular Diocese. What this means is that a bishop is to initiate a visit, but it is up to the rector to accept or decline such a visitation. I chose to decline the proposed visit (as a number of priests in the Diocese did) of both Bishops Bartlett and Bennison. When notified that Bishop Bennison wanted to make a visit to Good Shepherd to preach and celebrate Holy Communion, I asked him not to come. I never stood in his way, or blocked the doors. In fact, I did expect him to come; but he chose not to. The reason for my asking him not to come is directly tied to another ordination vow. The third vow taken has this question from the bishop, “Will you be ready, with all faithful diligence, to banish and drive away from the Church all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God’s Word; and to use both public and private monitions and exhortations, as well to the sick as to the whole, within your Cures, as need shall require, and occasion shall be given.” The answer given (which I also made in 1976) is “I will, the Lord being my helper.” A priest must not disobey this vow when a bishop advances teachings contrary to God’s Word. Bishop Bennison has advanced teachings in regard to human sexuality that are contrary to God’s Word. He has said, “I am for the Church celebrating the marriage of gay and lesbian people.” He has stated that Jesus Christ may be “a way” to salvation, while Jesus stated in the Gospel according to St. John that “I am THE way (my emphasis), and the truth, and the life…” In a sermon preached by Bishop Bennison at St. Christopher’s, Gladwyne, he said that “maybe Jesus rose from the dead.” The Bible is quite clear that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead. It was St. Paul who says, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” We even hear Jesus say in the Gospel according to St. Luke after His Resurrection, “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.” Charles Bennison has stated that “we wrote the Bible, so we can rewrite the Bible.” Charles Bennison has stated, “Jesus acknowledged his own sin. He knows himself to be a forgiven sinner.” This is false teaching because the Bible states, “For our sake he (God the Father) made him (Jesus Christ) to be sin who KNEW (my emphasis) no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” I could give other examples of false teaching that I as a priest under solemn vows must resist, and from which I must protect the good people under my pastoral care. A bishop’s principle responsibility is to be a teacher and guardian of the faith of the Church. A priest in a parish is to be a "messenger, watchman, and steward.” There are many examples in the early Church and decrees from Church Councils that the false teaching of a bishop must be resisted by the clergy and people. It is their solemn duty. As one who was born and bred in the Episcopal Church, and as one who was always taught to respect bishops (and who now is a bishop), it has not been an easy thing to do to resist and speak out against a bishop who teaches falsely. I believe that what I did I was not a disrespectful action against a man, but it is something that I had to do to be faithful to God who called me to serve Him. +David L. Moyer