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Reconciliation is her byword

By SHERRI DAY
Published November 3, 2006

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori is poised to make history today  when she takes the reins as the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. The two-day fete, which will take place at the Washington National Cathedral, marks the installation of the first female presiding bishop in the history of the Anglican Communion.

A former oceanographer and bishop of the diocese of Nevada, Jefferts Schori’s election in June touched off widespread controversy in a church already split by disagreements on the ordination of gay priests.

We spoke with Jefferts Schori, a 52-year-old native of Pensacola, on the eve of her installation about the state of the Episcopal Church and her plans for unifying Episcopalians.

You’re a female bishop who supports the ordination of gays and lesbians, two things that did not sit well with many Episcopalians and Anglicans this summer. Did you foresee such a virulent reaction to your election?

I was aware that some of that reaction was a possibility … but it’s a fairly small minority in most places. They’re vocal. I certainly understand that they disagree. That’s a part of the richness and diversity of our tradition. We affirm the appropriateness of having a diversity of theological opinion, and we think that’s a blessing.

Some people worry that your election has hurt local churches as some members withhold finances. Have you heard about this?

Yes, there’s some withholding of finances, but people often vote with their pocketbooks. It’s not usually seen as a spiritually appropriate way of expressing dissent. But it’s certainly understandable.
Did you ever consider not accepting the position?

No. I wrestled with that question before I agreed to enter the discernment process for election. I think once you say yes to the process unless there’s a major change in one’s own life situation that it’s probably inappropriate to decline later on.

What has been the impact of your election so far?

I’ve got reasonable relationships with almost all of the bishops in the U.S. church. There are a couple who don’t really approve of the ordination of women with whom I don’t really have effective relationships. But by and large, this is yet another chapter, a whole series of changes that have caught some people off guard. There’s simply some people who believe that the church is not meant to change; it’s meant to stay the same. That’s not how I understand the spiritual journey.

What do you plan to do about the dioceses that have asked for alternative oversight?

There’s certainly a few people who are exceedingly unhappy. The bulk of the church, I think, is in a reasonably good place and in a place to be increasingly interested looking at missions, looking beyond its walls to the people outside of it.

You’ve got nine years in the office of presiding bishop. What do you hope to accomplish during that time?

The central focus of my work as it is for all Christians is reconciliation. … Reconciliation at the human level, the interpersonal level, at the structural level. Reconciliation in terms of understanding our relationship to the rest of creation. How we treat the Earth. How we feed our neighbors. How we educate the children in our midst and across the globe. How we attend to the needs of many, many, many people for health care in this country and abroad.

That’s the kind of reconciling work to which all Christians are called.

Is there anything people would be surprised to know about you?

Once upon a time I knew how to play the bugle and the harp.

[Last modified November 3, 2006, 23:11:31]