ALBANY: Bishop Love Explains His Actions in Rejecting Resolution B012

VOL: You have been “partially inhibited” by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. Can you explain what exactly that means as opposed to say a full inhibition?

LOVE: The Title IV Disciplinary Canon of The Episcopal Church (Canon IV.7.3) empowers a Bishop Diocesan, or in this case the Presiding Bishop, “if he or she determines that a Member of the Clergy [Bishop] may have committed any Offense, or that the good order, welfare or safety of the Church or any person or Community may be threatened by the member of the Clergy, the Bishop Diocesan [Presiding Bishop] may, without prior notice or hearing, (a) place restrictions upon the exercise of the ministry of such Member of the Clergy or (b) place such Member of the Clergy on Administrative Leave.” As can be seen, this Canon gives Presiding Bishop Michael Curry the authority to take any number of actions against me, ranging from doing nothing; to partially restricting / inhibiting my ministry (prohibiting certain actions or aspects of ministry); to placing me on Administrative Leave / full inhibition of ministry (prohibiting me from functioning in any capacity as a bishop) until formal charges are made and dealt with in the Title IV disciplinary process. In my particular case, the Presiding Bishop has chosen to partially restrict / inhibit my ministry only as it pertains to my ability to bring disciplinary actions against a clergy person who chooses to take advantage of Resolution B012 and perform a same-sex marriage in violation of my November 10th Pastoral Directive and Canon 16 of the Diocese of Albany which upholds the Church’s traditional understanding of marriage (as outlined in the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer) and prohibits same-sex marriages from taking place in the Diocese of Albany. It also prohibits me from participating in or acting in any manner which could be perceived as acting negatively against any clergy, lay person, or church involved in same-sex marriages. In taking the action that he has, Presiding Bishop Curry is allowing me to continue in all aspects of ministry as Bishop of Albany with the exception of the above restrictions. Unfortunately, the above restrictions open the door for same-sex marriages to occur in the Diocese of Albany, denying me the ability to do anything about it during the appeal process.

VOL: You have committed a “canonical offense” according to Bishop Curry. The nature of that offense is for violating your ordination vows and for conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy. Do you believe you have committed such an “offense”?

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