The Bishops’ Choice

The ACNA Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast deadlocks and passes their episcopal election to the College of Bishops

In my previous post, I said that the ACNA Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast would elect their next bishop on this past Saturday.

Well, I was wrong.

Oh, they did have their election, but they deadlocked for all seven ballots and only elected to pass the selection up to the College of Bishops. You may watch the convention, all five hours of it, here.

For all seven ballots, most of the clergy in the diocese voted for Russell Martin, and most of the laity voted for Ben Sharpe. Both orders had to vote for a candidate to elect. The seven ballots went like this:

Laity: 29-14 Sharpe | Clergy: 24-15 Martin

L:27-15 S | C:22-17 M

L:29-14 S | C:23-16 M

L:28-15 S | C:24-15 M

L:29-14 S | C:24-15 M

L:28-15 S | C:23-16 M

L:28-15 S I C:22-15 M

Not much movement between ballots and a complete deadlock. And already there is the unhealthy situation too many have seen in other churches — the clergy are markedly less conservative than the laity. So the convention then voted to send it to the College of Bishops. The clergy thus voted 21-17; the laity 23-20. Yes, not overwhelming. Perhaps some wished to avoid the dangers I will now run right into.

I should say that I’ve not spoken to any bishops about this matter. But I can just about guarantee you this is a choice the College of Bishops does not want.

Let’s say the College, which next meets in mid-June, elects Russell Martin. Laity of the Western Gulf Coast diocese could say their desire to have Ben Sharpe as their bishop was nullified, first by the clergy of the diocese and then by the bishops of ACNA. It would feed any perception of clericalism. It would feed any perception that ACNA clergy are more liberal than the laity. And the laity of that diocese would be put in the position of accepting a bishop they did not choose.

Since Martin, whose mother was an Episcopalian priest, is more liberal on the role of women deacons than Sharpe, it would also feed any perception that the College of Bishops is stacking the deck towards women’s ordination. And Ben Sharpe’s question would have resonance: “Can a man with my Biblical convictions be a bishop in the Anglican Church in North America?”

Let’s say the College elects Ben Sharpe. It will likely upset many who support women’s ordination. And one can imagine the cries and wails of marginalization that will come from that. And we will find out if any parishes really will leave the Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast over this. If that occurs, it could result in further unhappiness, but I will restrain myself from getting into that.

Perhaps I am being alarmist. I hope I am. But this has been a contentious election already. And now this election is prolonged and becomes not just a matter for the diocese but for ACNA as a whole through its bishops. Now the Lord could certainly somehow use this to lessen the contention, and let us pray so.

At a time when there is conflict in ACNA over women in Holy Orders and additional troubles over trials of a bishop, both past and future, this choice is probably about the last thing the College of Bishops wants. It would not surprise me if they find a creative way around it, such as asking the diocese to do a new election. (I am not making such a recommendation, by the way.)

Pray for the Anglican Church in North America and for its College of Bishops.