BENNISON WILL NOT INHIBIT WICCAN CLERGY
Bishop blames "right wing" groups out to destabilize ECUSA

By David W. Virtue

WEST CHESTER, PA (11/10/2004)--Blaming "right wing" groups out to destabilize the Episcopal Church, Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison said he would not inhibit or depose two of his clergy involved in Druid practices and Wiccan worship.

Bennison told the Philadelphia INQUIRER newspaper that the Rev's William Melnyk (St. James) and his wife Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk (St. Francis in the Field's) dabbling with Druid circles and Wiccan spirituality was "exploratory thinking" and he would not depose them.

"They made a small error of judgment that has been very costly to their ministry and their church, and the church at large," Bennison said.

Bennison told the INQUIRER that the diocese was a "safe place for theological experimentation". So what will be the next "theological experimentation"-Mayan human sacrifice rites? But what about orthodox priests like Fr. David Moyer, Fr. David Ousley and Fr. Eddy Rix, it is clearly not a "safe place" for them. Bennison wants them gone and their properties in his control.

But William Melnyk resigned Saturday as rector after the parish vestry asked him to step down because of the scandal. VirtueOnline was told through a source that they did so because of the misuse of his personal discretionary funds in financing certain Druid operations.

But Melnyk vigorously denied that telling VirtueOnline, "this is not true. The Vestry can confirm there was no misuse of any funds, neither were there any donations received nor disbursements made in connection with the recent "charges" by several bloggers. This was laid to rest early, and was not part of any discussion with me."

Asked why Bennison would not inhibit him and yet his vestry asked him to step down, Melnyk said he could not explain that. "You'll need to ask the Vestry. I trust they were honestly making what the felt was the best decision they could with the information they had at the time. The decision they made was made prior to the conclusion by the Bishop. That letter did not specify any 'grounds' at all."

"It is very hard to serve on a vestry in the midst of such a situation. They have been under a great deal of stress from groups outside of the parish. My heart goes out to them. The people of Saint James are wonderful and loving servants of Jesus Christ," he said.

Asked about a rumor that was circulating that he had been contacted by a representative of l'Eglise Gnostique Apostolique about he and his wife's possible affiliation with the Gnostic Church if they left ECUSA, Melnyk responded, "No, that is not true. This is the first I have heard that rumor, and the first I have heard that name. I have no knowledge of such a church. We are not leaving the Episcopal Church, nor have we ever for an instant considered doing so."

Both rectors wrote letters of apology to the bishop and the diocese for their involvement with Wiccan worship, saying they "recanted and repudiated" their associations with those organizations following revelations of their activities by VirtueOnline and a Christianity Today blog site.

Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk AKA the "Raven" and "Glispa" is staying on at her parish with the full support of the vestry.

The Rev. William Melnyk went under the Wiccan names of "Bran" and "Oakwyse" had posted an Internet call to worship for those "who believe in the underlying unity of all faiths that follow the ideals of love for the Divine, love for sister and brother Human Beings, and doing harm to no one."

Bennison said the Ruppe-Melnyk's "God the Mother" service "is not a Christian rite as most people would understand Christianity." But the church has many alternative rites, he said.

Bennison said the couple would remain priests in good standing in the diocese, and that Melnyk was receiving financial support from both his old parish and the diocese's clergy emergency fund.

Bennison said that if he wants to go back to work, "I'll talk to him about that."

END