The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia (Washington), actually based in
Seattle, elected a new Suffragan Bishop yesterday. "Suffragan" is the
title given to an assistant bishop in the Episcopal Church. Why is this
relevant to AA?
The newly elected bishop is Bavi Edna "Nedi" Rivera. She will become
only the 12th female bishop in the US church's history and the first
Hispanic woman. The irony is that her father is Victor Manuel Rivera,
former bishop of the San Joaquin (in California), where I was confirmed.
Bishop Rivera was so dedicated to the "traditionalist" view of the
church and so hated the idea of women priests that he forbade any and
all women from excercising their priesthood within his diocese,
including his own daughter. Bishop Rivera's successor in the San
Joaquin, John David Schofield, continued that ban. When Rev. Rivera is
consecrated (date not yet announced, but it will be at St. Mark's
Cathedral in Seattle, I expect), it will be over the decades long
objection of her father and other leading bigots in the Episcopal
Church.
While Rev. Rivera is certainly qualified for the position in her own
right (see link below), I can't help but to think that this is also the
people of the diocese once again slapping the "traditionalist" movement.
In 1999, St. Mark's Cathedral elected Robert Taylor to be it's new dean
(the priest who oversees the day-to-day operations of a cathedral
church.) Rev. Taylor, a priest and civil rights activist from South
Africa, was the first (and, until the consecration of Gene Robertson,
the only) openly gay, partnered person in so high a position in the
Episcopal Church.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/172686_bishop10.html?searchpagefrom=1&searchdiff=1
--
Gregory Gadow
techbear@serv.net
http://www.serv.net/~techbear
"If you make yourself a sheep, the wolves will eat you."
-- Benjamin Franklin
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