by Julia Duin, Virtueonline
He was the bishop who disappeared.
In the world’s largest Anglican diocese — at least in terms of land area — retiring bishops have typically been present when their successor is chosen. Sometimes they pass on their crozier to the next man in line. Other times they pray, advise and bless the next shepherd of the massive 1.5-million-square-mile diocese.
But David Parsons, the larger-than-life personality who had shepherded the 34,171-member Diocese of the Arctic since 2012, was missing when the electoral synod met in Edmonton last May.
I was told that Parsons had already retired, so he should not expect to be invited. And so, there was not a word said in acknowledgement to a man who had labored 36 years on the diocese’s behalf, not only in icy Nunavut but in the theologically frozen precincts of the Canadian House of Bishops.
Which amazed me, as I’d spent a week with the man the previous fall, tromping about Nunavik, Quebec’s remote northern half, researching my profile on Parsons that ran last April in Religion News Service. His Quebec trip was his last pastoral journey before retirement. Considering how revered Parsons was among Anglicans worldwide for standing up to liberal Canadian bishops and even his own presiding bishop regarding biblical matters, I assumed the man would get a better sendoff.
I assumed wrong.