With the recent debacle in the slate of candidates for bishop of Virginia, and the ongoing noise about the elections in Florida, it’s worth noting that there are a number of bishops on the move. And when a member of the Pointy Hats Club moves, trouble often follows.
Sometimes, as in the case of Maryland Bishop Gene Sutton, trouble leaves.
Anglican Watch covered his comments early in the pandemic about “just come to church,” and we were appalled by his response. Further, his behavior towards clergy, combined with his handling of the Heather Cook debacle, suggest his departure is long overdue. (The fact no one thought to ask questions about Cook’s situation, even though she was partnered with a defrocked Episcopal priest, speaks volumes about her election, too.)
And if that weren’t enough, in some cases, Anglican Watch predicts that, as bishops move about, we’ll see a case of pass-the-trash, with problematic priests moving elsewhere as a result of changes in the episcopacy.
For example, we believe Leslie Steffensen, who is canon to the bishop for the armed forces, may move when Carl Wright’s successor is named. That spells bad news for wherever she lands next, because in Anglican Watch’s firsthand experience, Steffensen is sneaky, manipulative, dishonest, and two-faced. Nor has she made any effort at repentance, so we have no issue calling her out by name. And her husband Kirk can spare us the threats:
Nor is Steffensen an isolated case. There are plenty of priests just like her out there.
We also note that, TEC being what it is, the fur continues to fly in a number of dioceses. Thus, we predict a number of additional changes in the episcopacy in the coming year.
With a h/t to Episcopal Bishop Searches, here’s what’s on the calendar:
- New York, election 3 December 2022, consecration 20 May 2023, installation 16 March 2024
- Virginia, consecration 3 December 2022
- Central Florida, election 14 January 2023, consecration 10 June 2023
- New Jersey, election 28 January 2023, consecration 24 June 2023
- West Texas, election 18 February 2023, consecration summer 2023
- Armed Forces, election March 2023
- Maryland, election 25 March 2023, consecration 16 September 2023
- Ohio, consents pending, consecration 29 April 2023
- Arkansas, election 19 August 2023, consecration 6 January 2024, installation 7 January 2024
- Southern Ohio, election 30 September 2023, consecration 17 February 2024
- California, election 2 December 2023, consecration 4 May 2024
- Florida, consents pending, consecration date unknown
So, let us hope and pray for healthy elections and candidates who are not just riding the TEC gravy train for the long ride down.
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