By Kathy Hanks
The Hutchinson News
Waddell Reed
The bishop of western Kansas has jumped into a national dispute over theology dividing the Episcopal Church.
Bishop James Adams has caught the attention of the newly appointed Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori with a letter stating he disapproves of her theology.
In response, the first female primate in the 500-year history of the Anglican Church has offered to visit the Western Kansas Diocese, which has about 2,500 members.
The issues that separate Adams and Jefferts Schori are part of the new face of the Episcopal Church, according to Ian Douglas, professor of mission and world Christianity at Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Mass.
"Until recently it was pretty clear what Episcopalians looked like and where they resided. They were overly educated, financially secure," Douglas said.
But in the past 40 years, membership has branched out to include African Americans, women and most recently, gay and lesbian people, Douglas said.
As evident by the disagreement between Adams and Jefferts Schori, not all leaders in the church come down on the same side.
The next move in their exchange will be up to Adams - under church protocol, Jefferts Schori cannot visit unless invited.
"I have offered to be in western Kansas during holy week if he wishes," Jefferts Schori said. "It's up to him."
Wednesday, at the Cathedral in Salina, Adams said he hadn't received Jefferts Schori's offer. But, he added, he didn't know if the church's schedule would allow time for a visit from the highest-ranking official of the Episcopal Church.
Meanwhile, he stood firm, describing Jefferts Schori as "too conciliatory to others' beliefs."
"I don't deny she is the presiding bishop; she was duly elected," Adams said. However, in his letter sent to Jefferts Schori, after her installation in November 2006, he denied her authority over him.
"What I said was she can't represent me or my diocese by what she is stating in the press. Every interview gets harder to have her represent me," he said.
Adams struggles with Jefferts Schori's theology, worried that she and some others in the church seem to give up the claims of Christ to avoid offending anyone.
Meanwhile, Jefferts Schori, 52, said she was "cognizant that western Kansas has challenges."
Adams may think he understands her theological positions, Jefferts Schori said, but "I have a broader understanding of how salvation works."
Bishops with a history
Adams and Jefferts Schori first met while attending the same church meetings, when she was still the Bishop of Nevada.
Jefferts Schori holds a Ph.D. in oceanography and master of divinity and an honorary Divinity Degree from Church Divinity School of the Pacific.
"It's not that she is not talented or smart," Adams said, "but she has little experience in the church."
He said Jefferts Schori had been a priest only since 1994, and never a rector before she was appointed bishop in 2000. During the 75th General Convention in June 2006, she was elected the 26th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church.
"I didn't vote for her. That doesn't mean I don't like her, I just don't think she's qualified," he said.
Since 2003, when the church voted to ordain Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, as the bishop of New Hampshire, Adams and Jefferts Schori have had opposing views.
A changing church
Now that the church is hearing a variety of new voices, those who once enjoyed the privilege of power are being asked to make room for all the others, Professor Douglas said.
This is an incredible time of change and transition, not only in Anglican Communion but also in world Christianity in general, he said.
"Such changes result in anxiety, fear and concern of where we're going, who is in control and who gets the say," he said. "If it was up to me, I would rather sit and have conversation with those who have different theological understanding to find where are the commonalities and truth, where are the points of difference, and how to do we live together as brothers and sisters in Christ."
The division in the church has its consequences, Adams says.
"People are leaving," he said. "Why go to a church that all they are doing is arguing?"
Jefferts Schori disagreed, saying the number of congregations leaving the church over the controversy represent only one half of 1 percent of the total 2.2 million church membership.
She described the problems facing the church as a part of life.
"One of the great gifts of being in the church is that God puts you with people you might not otherwise choose," she said.
Jefferts Schori wants to ignore the loud and angry voices and instead focus on the fact that the church is healthy and engaged in a mission to heal the world.
"The bulk of the Episcopal Church is small congregations," Jefferts Schori said, "more typical of the faithfulness of people in western Kansas. The Gospel is preached and Christian lives are lived in small congregations and large ones all across the church."
01/26/2007; 02:38:55 AM
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