Living Church: Predecessor Gives Bishop Mark Lawrence’s Critique Highest Marks

“No living bishop that I know, in my opinion, is capable of having the faith, the scholarship, the courage, the wisdom to put out this paper,” Bishop Allison said. His remarks, and a sustained ovation that followed, are available in an audio file on the Rev. Canon Kendall Harmon’s weblog, TitusOneNine.

Bishop Allison “got a huge ovation, and it was the crescendo of the day,” said Canon Harmon, who is the diocese’s canon theologian. He said Bishop Allison's praise for Bishop Lawrence is noteworthy because of Bishop Allison’s involvement in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA). Both of those bodies have broken all ties to The Episcopal Church, which is more than Bishop Lawrence and the standing committee have recommended.

Canon Harmon believes the bishop is helping move the diocese from a passive and parish-based identity toward a collegial and collaborative practice.

“To turn a diocese, unlike a parish, is like turning an ocean liner,” Canon Harmon said. “It’s a herculean task.”

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