Is There One Righteous Bishop in The United Methodist Church?

Is There One Righteous Bishop in The United Methodist Church? May 1, 2012

righteous bishop GC2012Is there one righteous Bishop in The United Methodist Church?  This would be akin to Abraham asking if there were 50 righteous men in Sodom.  I am just asking for one.

I ask for just one righteous Bishop to stand up and say,

This is wrong.  All of our colleagues who are in covenant relationship with us as Bishops have just lost their guaranteed appointments, while I am a Bishop for life with a great salary and nice retirement and financial security for self and family.  

Those colleagues, whose lives are in my hands, may, at my nearly unaccountable discretion, lose appointments, housing, health insurance, and pension contributions.  I will never be threatened with such a loss, but I can freely threaten others with this.  

Jesus said, “The First Shall be Last.”  I know  I am first here.  Therefore as one who has dedicated my life to the highest ideals of following Jesus, I must now place myself last.  I vow to serve eight years only as Bishop. After that time, I shall return to the ranks as Elders to be appointed, nor appointed, at the pleasure of the Bishop of the Annual Conference where I am located. Should such Bishop be willing to appoint me, I request to be sent to the least of the churches in that Annual Conference.

 I say this is the name of righteousness and justice. To do otherwise makes me the greatest of hypocrites, deserving of the condemnation both of God and of my brother and sisters in clergy covenant with me.

Will even one have the moral integrity to do this?  Just one?  I seriously doubt it.  The heavens are weeping today.


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