Presiding Bishop Michael Curry of the Episcopal Church recently refuted the assertion that bishops in the mainline denomination got a “free pass on behavioral issues following allegations that a retired bishop physically and verbally abused a church official.
Julia Ayala Harris, President of the Episcopal Church House of Deputies, has made public a complaint that a former bishop “physically overpowered” her and made “inappropriate verbal statements” last year.
In a video message posted Tuesday, Curry addressed the allegations and fallout, which included a recent statement by several Episcopal bishops claiming that “there is a perception—or reality—that bishops get a free pass on behavioral issues.”
“None of us want that to be the case,” Curry stated. “For the sake of the gospel, for the sake of our integrity, and, above all, for the sake of the well-being of every child of God who is a part of this church, we cannot, must not, and will not sit idly by when anyone is hurt or harmed in our midst.”
Curry also spotlighted the work of the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution, and Canons, which is a representative body made up of 10 laity and 10 clergy that will oversee the complaint process.
The presiding bishop called on the Standing Commission to review past work on investigations into misconduct allegations against clergy and propose any necessary changes to the denomination’s leadership.
“We cannot change the past, and it is always true that, as the Prayer Book says, we have ‘erred and strayed [from God’s ways] like lost sheep, he continued.
“But we can learn from the past; we can learn from our shortcomings and our good work, and we, having learned from our past, can turn, joining together to create a future, constructed in the spirit of Jesus and his way of love, where all are welcome and all are safe.”
Last month, Ayala Harris wrote a public letter accusing an unnamed former bishop of harassment and filed a Title IV complaint under the purview of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops.
Title IV refers to the section of the Episcopal Church’s bylaws that addresses the “ecclesiastical discipline” procedures whenever a church leader is accused of misconduct.
“Going through the Title IV process this past year was not something I would want anyone to have to endure,” Ayala Harris wrote in the letter, as quoted by Episcopal News Service.
“Yet, living through that experience has given me an important perspective that I can apply in my leadership role, and it has renewed my long-lasting commitment to increased safety in our communities.”
A retired bishop accused of abuse and harassment has been removed from multiple denominational governance bodies and placed on restrictive ministry during the Title IV process.
The former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma, Rt. Rev. Edward J. Konieczny, was not involved in the disciplinary process.
Bishop Poulson Reed, who serves the Oklahoma diocese, emphasized the robust disciplinary process and called for prayers for both Ayala Harris and Konieczny. Reed also urged an evaluation of Title IV to ensure justice and fairness.