Albany Via Media

July 20, 2011

To the Editor:

Over and over and over again, we hear from Bishop William H. Love, the ninth Diocesan of Albany, “we are one family living out the Great Commission, one Church moving from membership to discipleship, equipping and emboldening disciples to go out and make disciples.” Even if true, which I question, it's worn out.

Five years ago when there were eleven candidates running for Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese, one of the gentlemen (sadly, they were all gentlemen), the Rev. Dr. Tory Baucum, who interestingly later left TEC and joined one of the Anglican splinter groups, said up front in the questions that each of the eleven had to answer, “with all due respect ‘Disciples Making Disciples’ is not a mission statement, it is a motto …” I was stunned. Here was a self described conservative evangelical, who clearly identified himself as such in both walkabouts (I attended the two that were held at Christ the King Spiritual Life Center) going out of his way to say this, and I didn't agree with anything else he had to say.

I thought Tory Baucum really and truly understood that we, as a diocesan family, need to move on from the motto ‘Disciples Making Disciples’ and its limited, inwardly focused, view of the Church and find something more concrete and welcoming — dare I suggest ‘inclusive’?

I think some, not all, of us squirm unnecessarily at the word ‘inclusive’, inferring that its use means one has to accept the election and the subsequent consecration of +V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire.

May I suggest that ‘inclusiveness’ simply means bringing all to God's table and bringing all together in common purpose to do God's work.

Dennis Wisnom
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Albany
Secretary, Albany Via Media