Enthusiastically Episcopalian or Animal House 2011?

By Ladson Mills
Special to Virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org
June 14, 2011

Like many of my generation I confess to having great affection for the movie 'Animal House". This classic film is a satiric look at college life in the early 1960's through the eyes of two very different fraternities. It is the story of those who embrace image over substance as represented by the Omega's versus those who choose to rebel against mindless and spineless authority as represented by the Delta's. This movie made household words out of college fraternity characters with nicknames such as "Blutto", "Otter" and "Flounder".

Finding themselves outmaneuvered by their nemesis and expelled from their college the Delta's seek revenge by sabotaging the annual homecoming parade. As the parade erupts into chaos with people stampeding and overrunning anything and everyone in their path the camera pans to a solitary figure played by future super star Kevin Bacon. Dressed immaculately in ROTC uniform and acting as one of the parades marshals he with great sincerity implores the hysteric crowds to "remain calm-all is well". This phrase is repeated even as he falls victim to the very people he seeks to reassure. It is not his sincerity but his ability to discern the obvious that one has to question.

Hence my feelings when I picked up the local newspaper recently to discover a full page advertisement for the "Enthusiastically Episcopalian Conference" sponsored by the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina. This conference featured among its speakers House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson, Sally Johnson, Chancellor of the House of Deputies and Frank Wade who has served as Chaplain to the House of Deputies. The stated purpose of the conference was to remember our past, understand our present, and discern our future.

The Episcopal Forum of South Carolina was organized in opposition to the current direction of the Diocese of South Carolina. There is certainly nothing unusual about this. More often than not it has been conservative groups that find it necessary to organize in opposition to revisionist bishops and dioceses. The need to find support when one feels alienated or under represented is certainly understandable. As an orthodox and conservative priest who has served in revisionist dioceses I can attest it is a lonely and uncomfortable place to be. Having supportive relationships is as necessary as it is critical.

I know many of the forum members and while people affiliate with organizations for different reasons this organization has decent people among its members. Several of them have expressed to me genuine concerns about the direction of our church and their struggles to find answers in these difficult times. Yet there was something unsettling about a title that would claim to be "enthusiastic" especially in light of the current situation in which we in the Episcopal Church now find ourselves. With all of the serious issues that our denomination faces we have members of the senior leadership engaging in a cheerleading exercise even as the situation deteriorates before our very eyes. Like the character at the end of the movie it is not their sincerity but the ability to discern the obvious that one has to question.

We need only to look at recent news to see what can only be described as sobering examples of a declining and increasingly insignificant denomination. The Diocese of Vermont has released a report making it clear it will not survive without drastic changes to its vision and structure. Eastern Oregon may even be in worse condition. Western New York's situation can only be described as critical and its new bishop faces incredible challenges. North Dakota and Western Kansas are barely holding on. This is due to the creativeness of their bishops who now share responsibilities as part time parish clergy in an effort to finance their office.

The Diocese of Pennsylvania has deteriorated into a soap opera. A solution here might be to sell the rights to this story to a made for television movie and place the money in escrow for the eventual arrival of a new bishop. Georgia has introduced two videos to save its camp and conference center at Honey Creek from financial default. The goal is to raise two million dollars by urging members to buy bonds. This would be tough enough in these economic times but if ones listens to the video of the appeal by diocesan youth it becomes evident the two million will not solve the problem. It will only provide a financial respite in the hopes that decisions can be made that might eventually save the camp.

St. Timothy's Signal Mountain, a major parish in East Tennessee, has terminated its associate rector and downgraded its commitment to youth ministry in order to survive financially. This in itself is not unusual in these times, but this was done in part to fulfill its financial obligation to the diocese. What is interesting here is the bishop's salary in East Tennessee is not an operating budget item. This salary is paid significantly if not totally by the Robinson Fund; an independent fund established for that purpose. It is also fair to observe that East Tennessee is blessed with talented lay leadership that is the envy of any organization. These members are known to possess significant financial resources as well as skills in strategic and visionary long term planning. By any objective and fair standard this is a diocese that should be thriving not just surviving on the back of its diminished youth ministry.

I have been a priest long enough to understand that people often look at the same issues and come to very different conclusions. I am, however, mystified that anyone would claim to be enthusiastic about the situation in which we in the Episcopal Church now find ourselves. How sad it is when like the Omega Fraternity in the movie senior leaders of our church embrace image over substance and choose not to focus on our very real and increasing problems. Perhaps we should just ignore the evidence that is before us. Like the character at the homecoming parade and echoed by Bonnie and Sally and Frank we should just remain calm and all will be well.

In the words of my college literature professor, if ignorance is bliss we have now descended into bedlam.


--- The Revd Ladson Mills III served as a parish priest for over thirty years. He is a trained Interim and currently serves as Scholar-in-Residence at The Church of Our Saviour Johns Island, South Carolina.