Episcopal Bishop Warner – a ‘credible allegation of infidelity’

Posted by Kendall Harmon

The retired longtime Episcopal bishop for Western Washington has been barred from exercising his ministry following what his successor calls “a credible allegation of marital infidelity.”

The Rt. Rev. Vincent Warner served as Episcopal Bishop of Olympia from 1989 to 2007: Warner surprised the 2002 Episcopal diocesan convention by announcing he was divorcing his wife of nearly four decades. He remarried shortly after his divorce.

“I first heard the allegations several weeks ago, and promptly reported them to the Presiding Bishop’s office, which is the procedure required by the canons of the Episcopal Church,” said Bishop Greg Rickel, Warner’s successor.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Bishops • TEC Polity & Canons • * Theology • Pastoral Theology

15 Comments
Posted September 30, 2011 at 4:01 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. carl wrote:

‘Marital infidelity’ sounds so harsh and judgmental.  Are you sure he wasn’t simply living into his context of marital openness? 

carl
who wonders why cheating on your second wife is more actionable than kicking your first wife to the curb.

September 30, 6:46 pm | [comment link]
2. Teatime2 wrote:

What an odd “story.” No sources cited for the oddest bits (bursting into song?)  so it reads like a gossip column.

September 30, 7:40 pm | [comment link]
3. Cennydd13 wrote:

It seems to me that several others in the TEC hierarchy should’ve got the same treatment; I wonder why they haven’t?

September 30, 7:56 pm | [comment link]
4. Jim the Puritan wrote:

He can still become a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), now that the PCUSA has removed its requirements for ministers, elders and deacons to be faithful in marriage and chaste in singleness.  (Amendment 10-A)

September 30, 10:04 pm | [comment link]
5. Undergroundpewster wrote:

The bishop should have no problem beating this rap,

The retired bishop had opened a consulting business in conflict resolution.

September 30, 10:06 pm | [comment link]
6. IchabodKunkleberry wrote:

Did he vote to consecrate Gene Robinson to the status of bishop ?
One unfaithful husband affirming the sinfulness of another.

October 1, 1:14 am | [comment link]
7. DTerwilliger wrote:

It is an odd story.  Why the big hoopla when values experimentation is such the rage in TEC?  Perhaps there is more behind the story - I’ll bet there is.

October 1, 4:03 am | [comment link]
8. Brian from T19 wrote:

This is not unusual at all.  It is long standing policy that marital infidelity has repercussions for the clergy.  TEC has been pretty consistent with this.  As for divorce, it has always been dependent on the circumstances.  In +Gene’s case, the divorce was mutual and no marital infidelity was involved.

October 1, 8:11 am | [comment link]
9. carl wrote:

8. Brian from T19

In +Gene’s case, the divorce was mutual and no marital infidelity was involved.

It’s perhaps better to say that there was no provable infidelity.  People just don’t wake up one morning, and say “I think I will become a homosexual today” on spec.  They get themselves involved in the lifestyle, decide they like it, and then leave.  There is no reasonable doubt in my mind that VGR sampled the lifestyle before he decided to leave his wife.  None.  It makes a nice story to protect TECs image.  Can’t very well have a bishop elect standing in front of a press conference like the Governor of New Jersey.

carl

October 1, 9:37 am | [comment link]
10. Sarah wrote:

What’s interesting to me from a canonical point of view is that this is probably the first instance of the use of the new canons.

Note that the Presiding Bishop just gets to—with one sweep of her paw—“inhibit” another bishop when she decides something looks “credible.”

Really, really bad.

October 1, 9:39 am | [comment link]
11. Br. Michael wrote:

Sarah, on one level I agree with you, but the Bishops did this to themselves.  They created the PB anew as TEC dictator and now they reap the consequences.  As more and more orthodox leave TEC the less and less I will care what the people remaining in TEC do to each other.

October 1, 12:36 pm | [comment link]
12. Brian from T19 wrote:

Carl

There was never any allegation of infidelity.  +Gene’s wife knew prior to their marriage that he had struggled with his sexuality.

October 1, 3:39 pm | [comment link]
13. carl wrote:

12. Brian from T19

Yes, I know what you say is correct.  That doesn’t change anything I said.

carl

October 1, 4:30 pm | [comment link]
14. drjoan wrote:

I don’t understand since this IS such old news.  Moreover, the woman he married (second wife) was never a Christian, indeed was (I believe) a Buddhist!  Vincent was a different sort of a man though always kind and caring to me and my orthodox beliefs; I always felt he was lacking a personal relationship with Jesus!
Why is this an issue now?  Does anyone know?

October 1, 8:05 pm | [comment link]
15. drjoan wrote:

And what is Rickel’s part in all this?

October 1, 8:06 pm | [comment link]
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