Bishop Marc Andrus suspended, move illustrates TEC’s dated approach to ethics and clergy discipline

Diocesan officials announced earlier today that former Diocese of California bishop Marc Andrus has been suspended from ministry as a result of allegations of an inappropriate relationship with an adult while serving as bishop diocesan. The move illustrates the denomination’s dated approach to ethics and clergy discipline.

The suspension was issued by the presiding bishop’s delegate, the Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves, as part of a Title IV proceeding, which established that the underlying claims were credible.

While we fully support the decision to suspend Andrus, Anglican Watch also believes the move underscores the problems with Title IV and its implementation at the national level:

• There are numerous clergy out there who engage in criminal conduct but they face neither suspension nor consequences. For example, we have covered the felonious perjury of Episcopal priest Bob Malm, yet he continues in active ministry—despite requests even from the Survivors Network of Persons Abused by Priests that the church act against him. Similarly, the Diocese of Newark shrugged off alcohol abuse by Fr. Bill Allport, including allegations of driving church vehicles under the influence. That begs the question: Why does everyone foam at the mouth over an affair, yet they ignore criminal conduct? (Not that an affair is acceptable conduct, but as between felony criminal conduct and what is likely a consensual affair, we believe the felony can and should be the priority.)
• The denomination appears unwilling to discipline conservative bishops. Specifically, for more than two years now, national intake officer Barb Kempf and other church officials — including Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, who serves as presiding bishop-designate in Title IV matters involving bishops — have ignored the two Title IV complaints filed against Bishop George Sumner, who engaged in retaliation for opposing sexual harassment by Episcopal priest Douglas Anderson. (For the record, we have contacted Barb Kempf repeatedly, and have forwarded our concerns to Gray-Reeves.)
• True abuse, as we see in the Santosh Marray case, who has abused clergy under his care, threatened them, bullied them, and violated Title IV confidentiality, goes to conciliation, which is not likely to be successful given Marray’s seeming narcissistic tendencies. Yet Andrus has a fling and it’s all hands to battle stations. How does that work? Again, we in no way wish to minimize Andrus’ seeming extramarital activities, but abuse and criminal conduct also should warrant immediate suspension.

In short, the Episcopal Church is stuck in a 1950s timewarp, in which sex is the big bad bugbear, but abuse, criminal conduct, and more is ignored as “interpersonal conflict.”

For the record, the Episcopal Church needs to treat all abuse as worthy of a vigorous Title IV response. And any clergyperson subject to credible claims of criminal conduct needs to be