[asa] The Episcopal Church's new Presiding Bishop

As you all probably know by now, the Episcopal Church in General Convention yesterday elected the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Shori as Presiding Bishop and Primate. She was elected by the House of Bishops on the fifth ballot and led from the first ballot on all but one ballot (where she was tied). Her election was overwhelmingly confirmed by the House of Deputies, which is made up of clergy and lay delegates. Her election has surprised nearly everybody, probably even the bishops who chose her, and along with the election of Ms. Bonnie Anderson as President of the House of Deputies, will change every equation in the life of the Episcopal Church and its relations with the rest of the Anglican Communion and the wider Christian family.

One important and signifcant fact about Bp. Katharine, which prompts this note to the list, is that for the first time the Episcopal Church will be led by a person who was formerly a practicing scientist. She holds a doctorate in oceanography, and was called to Christian ministry later. I met Bp. Katharine when our Committee on Science, Technology and Faith met in Las Vegas, NV, along with other deputations of the Ecumenical Round Table on Science, Technology and the Church (at a resort hotel without slot machines--amazing!). She attended a session of our meeting and joined us for lunch. I was impressed with her kowledge, intellectual acumen, and pleasant but confident personality. We were working on a draft of the Catechism of Creation at the time, and she gave us and the Catechism her strong support, and I stayed in touch with her as it developed. Bonnie Anderson has also attended one of our meetings and is a strong supporter of our work.

It is too soon to say what contribution Bp. Katharine will make to the science/religion dialogue as primate, but as someone who understands science from the inside, is theologically trained, and by every account I've gotten is one of the brightest persons in Episcopal Church leadership, I can only think that the science/religion dialogue within TEC will benefit. I'll keep you posted

Bob

Robert J. Schneider
187 Sierra Vista
Boone, NC, 28607
828-264-4071

"Science and Faith: perspectives on Christianity and science"
community.berea.edu/scienceandfaith/
"A Catechism of Creation"
www.episcopalchurch.org/science/
"Truth is born into this world only with pangs and tribulations, and every fresh truth is received unwillingly. To expect the world to receive a new truth, or even an old truth, without challenging it, is to look for one of those miracles which do not occur" (from an interview of Alfred Russell Wallace published posthumously in 1913).

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Received on Mon Jun 19 07:17:04 2006