RELEASE THE HOUNDS!!

from Midwest Conservative Journal by The Editor

Katharine Jefferts Schori adds a new Doberman to 815′s kennel:

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has named Diocese of Lexington Bishop Stacy F. Sauls as chief operating officer for the Episcopal Church.

“The Episcopal Church Center exists to support the Church in serving a diverse and changing world,” Jefferts Schori said in a May 31 press release from the church’s Office of Public Affairs. “The church-wide staff has achieved new levels of excellence and innovation as the Church Center has been reorganized and some staff has been dispersed to offices in other geographic regions of the church. This transition represents a healthy and forward-looking opportunity to build on that good work.”

“Bishop Sauls brings a unique set of gifts to the next chapter of this ministry, particularly his distinguished service as a diocesan bishop. I am deeply grateful that he will join us in facilitating this work.”

Back in 2008, David Trimble had this assessment of Saul’s “unique set of gifts.”

One of the earliest controversies in +Sauls’ tenure came with the charges of embezzlement he lodged against his Canon to the Ordinary and Rector of St. Augustine’s Chapel, Christopher Platt. Chris was accused of theft from his discretionary accounts, when many of those who know him and were privy to the “evidence” would state to the contrary that probably all that occurred was bad or non-existent bookkeeping. Platt, when confronted with the charges, denied them but dutifully offered to submit to the Bishop’s discipline. Instead of dealing with the situation quietly, however, Platt was subjected to a show trial that resulted in his being defrocked. Many observers close to the Diocese believe that the real reason for the trial was for intimidation of the remaining Diocesan clergy, i.e., a warning to not cross Bishop Sauls. There have also been rumors that Platt “knew something” on the Bishop, but those have never been substantiated, not even by Platt himself. The accusations and being put through the wringer by +Sauls crushed Platt; he is living quietly in Kentucky on disability to this day. Many would say a great voice in the pulpit and a truly pastoral man has been silenced and sacrificed to the Church. And, I cannot help but observe that the swift hammering of orthodox Bishops by the national church in the last few days finds strategic echoes, if not +Sauls’ fingerprints, in the deposition of Chris Platt.

Bishop Sauls was next confronted with a parish that, in his view, defied his ecclesiastical authority. St. John’s Parish in Versailles, KY, was in the process of searching for a new Rector. Documents produced in a later court proceeding between the old and new parish over the proceeds of a trust revealed that +Sauls had “spies” in St. John’s who were reporting to him and may have followed his guidance on intra-parish strategies. St. John’s eventually found Fr. David Brannen and, in +Sauls’ view, proceeded with a call without properly involving +Sauls in the process.

When asked by +Sauls whether he would vow to not take St. John’s Parish out of the Episcopal Church, Fr. Brannen honestly stated that he could make no such promises. +Sauls therefore refused to approve the call of Fr. Brannen. St. John’s Vestry proceeded with the call anyway. +Sauls immediately “fired” the Vestry and took over control of the accounts and assets of St. John’s, albeit without apparent Canonical authority to do so (perhaps one of the reasons for the proposed new Canon on discipline of the laity?). A significant number of the members of the parish left and formed St. Andrew’s Parish, affiliated with the Anglican Church of Uganda. The new Anglican church is still meeting in schools, but is soon to break ground on a new building.

Trimble also recorded this exchange.

PARISHIONER: Do you believe the Bible is the inspired word of God?

SAULS: I believe the Bible is a book of poetry with a lot of history in it. I believe the Prayer Book has all that one needs for salvation.

PARISHIONER: Do you believe there is a Satan?

SAULS: Not metaphorically speaking, no.

PARISHIONER: Do you believe in heaven and hell?

SAULS: I believe that an all-loving God would never send anyone to hell for eternity. I believe he works it out in the end for everyone.

Sounds like a great fit.