THE ANNIVERSARY OF TWO BISHOPS: A STUDY IN CONTRASTS

News Analysis

By David W. Virtue

Two bishops recently celebrated significant milestones in their ecclesiastical careers.

One was William Swing, Bishop of the Diocese of California who celebrated his 25th anniversary, and the other was the Bishop of Quincy, the Rt. Rev. Keith Ackerman who recently celebrated his 30th anniversary. He has been bishop for 10 years.

The two men represent the extreme polarities of thinking now present in The Episcopal Church USA. One is a godly Evangelical Catholic, Charismatic, liturgically High Churchman who talks more about the Mass than the Eucharist — but a man who oozes love for even the worst of his fellow revisionist bishops, a man that even Frank Griswold likes.

The other is a hale fellow, bon vivant, bow tie type who says he's Republican and voted for George W. Bush, but is as lost theologically as Jack Spong. He is an example of a man who, while politically conservative, is as loose as a bucket of bolts on moral and theological issues.

Swing helped form the United Religions Initiative (URI) — who thinks that world peace can come through a one world religion and presumably, over time, a one world government.

Both bishops' voting records speak volumes.

Bishop Ackerman signed the Province 7 Statement; he signed the Presentment against Walter Righter who ordained an openly gay man to the priesthood; he voted to condemn promiscuous homosexuality; he endorsed the Kuala Lumpur statement; he voted with the majority of bishops at Lambeth opposing homosexuality; opposed the consecration of V. Gene Robinson; signed Bishop David Bena's statement at the consecration; put up resolution B001 upholding certain doctrines of the church (which was defeated) and signed the Memorandum of agreement for the formation of the Anglican Communion Network.

By contrast Bishop Swing has voted for just about every innovation the Episcopal Church has come up with. He signed Spong's Koinonia Statement. He voted to insist on women's ministries in every diocese. He signed A Pastoral Statement to Lesbian and Gay Anglicans from some member Bishops of the Lambeth Conference. He voted for the blessing of same-gender unions and consented to the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.

In an interview with Bishop Swing by ENS writer Bob Williams there was not one single mention of the gospel, nor did the name of Jesus, the Trinity, faith or redemption ever cross his lips.

He talked about his own physical health, tensions in the church and how he held the diocese together during difficult times and, above all, his golfing abilities. In fact he is viewed as such a successful bishop by his liberal and revisionist priests they are ponying up $2 million to refurbish his summer ranch home.

Reading about the lives of the two men is a study in stark contrasts. Of Ackerman it can be said he has devoted his life to the glory of God, the gospel and the Anglican Way in all its depth, richness and glory; while Swing is a study in shallowness, inclusivity, diversity, a false ecumenicity, hype, utterly devoid of any talk of the life-changing message of the gospel.

Bishop Ackerman said: "This celebration is not about me. It's about you and me celebrating the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ."

"In the end what matters most is Jesus Christ."

Ackerman: "What I've learned in thirty-one years in the ministry is one simple Divine truth. Humanity has broken itself and we cannot repair our brokenness. Knowing this Divine Truth, why do we persist in meaningless meddling on our part in trying to fix or repair what is broken? We can better serve our Lord by praying, discerning how the Lord Wills to fix what we broke."

Ackerman: "I would be pleased to be remembered for God's transformation of my life by His Grace and Promise through Jesus Christ. I would be pleased to be remembered as the evidence and example of the Savior and Lord — that He saved me and I willed Him to be the Lord of my life. I would be pleased to be remembered as a priest who told the story of God's redemption and salvation through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and never compromised in the telling of the story."

Ackerman: "The Lord has given us our marching orders. We don't know what lies ahead for us. All we know is the Lord's promises are true: He will level the mountains and fill in the valleys. Hopefully at our journey's end, we shall be rewarded the grand sight of heaven overlooking the temporal confines of the universe."

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