Bishop Has Concerns About Nassau Coalition

by Pam Doty
The Rt. Rev. Charles G. vonRosenberg, Bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee, has expressed misgivings over the "Nassau Coalition--A Broad-Based Consultation on Anglican/Episcopal Essentials," which met in Nassau August 21-23 to discuss the implications of resolution A045, which calls for "continued monitoring" of compliance with the canons on women's ordination, and D039, which asks for pastoral support of lifelong, committed relationships outside of marriage.

The Nassau meeting was hosted by Archbishop Drexel Gomez, bishop of Nassau and the Bahamas and primate of the Province of the West Indies. The Diocese of Nassau and the Bahamas is the companion diocese of East Tennessee.

Bishop vonRosenberg's first knowledge of the Nassau meeting came not from Archbishop Gomez, but from an Internet posting of Gomez's letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury. While acknowledging that there exist "pastoral – and spiritual – matters that demand the careful, prayerful attention of us all" within ECUSA, vonRosenberg was concerned that the gathering in Nassau was less representative of the variety of Episcopal perspectives about social issues confronting the church and more like a strategy session of like-minded individuals.

In a letter to diocesan clergy, vonRosenberg said, "In the Archbishop's letter, the recent General Convention and its actions were characterized in ways that did not resemble my experiences in Denver at all. It is distressing to me that Archbishop Gomez has apparently accepted the perspectives of some disgruntled Episcopalians, without seeking any balancing point of view from the broad center of our church that was so graciously evident at General Convention." vonRosenberg went on to say that he was concerned "about potential ill effects (from the Nassau meeting) on our emerging relationship with Nassau and the Bahamas."