Today was the annual convention for Colorado Diocese of the Episcopal Church. I got to attend as a delegate, which was had its good points and bad. But one of the rumors going around had to do with an article in this morning’s Rocky.
The article was all about the new bishop, Rob O’Neill, who’s being consecrated tomorrow, and how he plans to handle the current foofoorah in the church.
What was generating the buzz were comments by Rev. Don Armstrong down in the Springs. Armstrong is rather infamously conservative and as functioning as a de facto bishop; his church has the second largest attendance in the state, after the Cathedral.
According to the article:
Armstrong calls the new bishop a “neo-pagan” who’s allied himself with secular causes, such as homosexual rights, rather than the Scripture-based Christian teachings which he says most Colorado Episcopalians support.
“Neo-paganism is the worship of secularism, of world views other than Christianity,” Armstrong said. “We wanted a bishop who would uphold faith and marriage, and we have a bishop who does neither.”
Well, aside from being a pretty crappy definition of neo-paganism, it hardly seems the sort of thing you’d say to the paper about, well, your new boss. Armstrong, though, manages to come off the lesser in the exchange.
O’Neill said, “I’m not quite sure how to respond. I don’t want to get into a game of characterizing each other. That’s where we end up not talking to one another.”
O’Neill definitely comes off in the article — and speaking in person, and before a crowd — as gracious and willing to listen before leading; good leadership material. I do wish him well.