Posted on 01/16/2006 5:13:36 AM PST by Huber
The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut on Saturday removed a priest from his duties in a clash over the elevation of a gay bishop in New Hampshire.
Connecticut Bishop Andrew D. Smith stripped Mark H. Hansen, formerly of St. John’s Church in Bristol, "of the right to exercise the office of priest in the Episcopal church." Smith had "inhibited," or suspended Hansen six months earlier.
"It’s a very sad day," Smith said in an interview Saturday.
Hansen was among six priests and their respective parishes who had asked to be supervised by a different bishop because they disagreed with Smith’s support for the Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the church’s first openly gay bishop. Robinson’s consecration in 2003 has divided the U.S. Episcopal Church and expanded the rift over gay issues among churches in the global Anglican Communion.
Hansen, who resigned his priesthood in September, refused to meet with Smith, the bishop said.
"The controversies are still there. This is not about the controversy," Smith said. "This is about his abandonment of the relationship he has as a priest with the bishop. People disagree with me (over Robinson) and do not abandon their relationship with the bishop."
Diocesan officials said last year that Hansen was suspended because he took an unauthorized sabbatical and St. John’s had stopped making payments on a loan for its building. Hansen maintained he notified Smith of his plans.
Smith said it was his duty to remove Hansen because the priest failed to meet conditions including recanting his behavior or statements that led to the inhibition. Hansen also could have denied the basis on which the inhibition was imposed and the bishop would have decided if the denial was in good faith, Smith said.
Hansen did make such a denial:
The Bristol priest whom Connecticut’s Episcopal bishop suspended July 13 formally denied Bishop Andrew D. Smith’s inhibition charges Friday, issuing a "good faith denial" that he has abandoned communion with the church.
The denial by the Rev. Mark Hansen of St. John’s Church, a member of what has become known as the "Connecticut Six," came with no additional direct comment.
But a press release issued on Hansen’s behalf said that church law provides that if the bishop is "reasonably satisfied" that a priest has issued a good-faith denial, the bishop shall withdraw his notice of inhibition "and the inhibition shall expire."
Must not really have been in "good faith," I guess. Oh well.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. New chess move: The Bishop is now allowed to mince across the board and slap all the other pieces. Also, there's a new 'castle-ing' type move with the Bishop: The Bishop can move next to the King, but only through his own Queen, retiring her.
This is what happens when satan gets inside a church.
First you water down the message, creating all kinds of splinter groups, each with its own focus.
Then, you change the official behaviour of the Church into something diametrically opposed to its original charter.
And then you call it good, tolerant, and normal...
Time to unify Christianity, methinks.
I wonder what Martin Luther would have done?
Just a brief note to thank your for stepping into the breech and keeping us informed while sionnsar is on "hiatus"...(G)
Thank you! I just wish that I had sufficient time to do it right!
"stripped Mark H. Hansen, formerly of St. John’s Church in Bristol, "of the right to exercise the office of priest in the Episcopal church."
That's O.K. There's no such thing as a priest in Christianity, anyway. We have one High Priest who intercedes for us in Heaven. That's it.
You're doing great...
A quick estimate would indicate that there are probably at least a billion Christians who might disagree with you on this point.
"There's no such thing as a priest in Christianity, anyway."
Awww, let's don't do that. It's just gonna start a fight.
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