A message to our fellow Americans We, the undersigned bishops of The Episcopal Church, write today out of grief, righteous anger, and steadfast hope. What happened a week ago in Minnesota and is happening in communities across the country runs counter to God’s vision of justice and peace. This crisis is about more than one city or state—it’s about who we are as a nation. The question before us is simple and urgent: Whose dignity matters? In the wake of the tragic deaths of tw

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. (Rev 1:17-18) My Siblings in Christ, Over the last few weeks, we have been left heartbroken by what is occurring in Minneapolis, our country, and the continued pain suffered by God’s children. I plan to write, expand, and cal

As you know, I am not one who issues statements based on every news item that crosses the wire. However, as a Bishop and more importantly a follower of Jesus Christ, I was repulsed and sickened by the meme that was on the President’s feed depicting two children of God who served this nation as apes. It is a sin against the Lord. This is not just politics or someone being themselves. It is an affront to Christ. Either you apologize, Mr. President, or you resign. If that doesn

In my Rector’s note a few weeks ago, I quoted the Rt. Rev. Rob Hirschfeld’s call for clergy to be prepared to lay down their lives in order to “stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.” Since then, hundreds of bishops have provided their own guidance on how to take direct action to protect people under threat of ICE arrest and detention. Last Saturday, 154 bishops, including our own Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutiérrez, released a letter calling for “people of fa

Who is my neighbor? That biblical question is resonating with me as I shovel snow, watch the news, and pack leftovers for the community fridge. It’s the question that prompted Jesus to tell the story of the Good Samaritan, a title we now give any helpful person. Who is my neighbor? The one who helps you when the formal helpers walk by; it might even be the person everyone told you was your enemy. Snowstorms are a particular measure of neighbor-hood. As Jess and I walked our d

As we know, concern about the treatment of immigrants being hunted down for detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is bringing more and more people out into the streets. They are calling for justice, for the rule of law to be upheld, and they are serving as observers and witnesses. Clergy of all faith traditions have taken an active role, leading prayer and serving as observers, and promoting peaceful responses. As I mentioned in my sermon this past Sunda