Episcopal Press and News
MINNESOTA: Diocese announces three candidates for bishop
Episcopal News Service. August 1, 2009 [080109-01]
ENS staff
The Diocese of Minnesota on August 1 announced three candidates for the position of the ninth diocesan bishop: the Rev. Mariann Budde, the Rev. Bonnie Perry and the Rev. Brian Prior.
Perry is rector of All Saints' Church in Chicago, Budde is rector of St. John the Baptist Church in Minneapolis, and Prior is rector of Church of the Resurrection in Spokane, Washington. Biographies of the candidates are available here.
Perry is the first openly gay candidate in an episcopal election since the church's General Convention in July affirmed the openness of its ordination process to all the baptized. In her biographical information on the diocesan website, she noted that the Rev. Susan Harlow has been her partner for 22 years. She also noted in her profile that her parish has grown in her 17 years as rector from one on the verge of closing to the tenth-largest in the diocese. In 2006, Perry was a nominee in the slate for bishop of the Diocese of California.
Budde wrote that during her 16-year tenure, St. John's budget has quadrupled and average Sunday attendance has more than doubled. Since 2001 she has also led CREDO conferences, funded by the Church Pension Fund, that focus on clergy wellness and vocational renewal.
Prior, who completed a $1.25 million building campaign at Church of the Resurrection, where he has served since 1996, also serves as the Episcopal Church's vice president of the House of Deputies (lay and clergy representatives to the triennial General Conventions).
The diocese said it has been discerning candidates since January. Further information is available here. It said names of additional candidates are now being accepted through a two-week petition process, which allows for open nominations beginning today and ending August 14. Details on this process are available on the diocesan website. The final candidate roster will be announced September 25 and the election is scheduled for October 31 in Minneapolis.
"The process of calling the IX Bishop of Minnesota is designed to be deliberate, thorough, and prayerful," said Dr. Scott Crow, chair of the diocesan standing committee, which has responsibility for the bishop search and election. "These candidates come to us out of a process that has been well organized and Spirit-filled and always in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of our church. I look forward to continuing to witness the work of the Holy Spirit among Episcopalians in Minnesota as this process unfolds."
Integrity, an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) Episcopalians, said it "applauds the Diocese of Minnesota for the stellar slate of qualified candidates." Integrity President Susan Russell said in a statement that Minnesota Episcopalians are "leading the way … as they move us forward into a future where the resolutions we passed at our recent General Convention become a reality."
Resolution D025 said that "God's call to the ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church is a mystery which the church attempts to discern for all people through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church."
D025 was widely interpreted to be a response to a resolution, B033, passed at the 2006 General Convention, that was considered a moratorium on the election of gay candidates to the episcopate.
"We hope that other dioceses will recognize that "discern for all people" really means 'all'" said Russell, "and that the actions of our General Convention will put a sad chapter of discrimination against the LGBT baptized behind us." She added that any of the candidates "will make a fine bishop for The Episcopal Church" and said Integrity will pray for the Diocese of Minnesota as they discern together who God is calling to be their bishop."
Bishop Ted Gulick, diocesan bishop of Kentucky and provisional bishop of Fort Worth, recently was quoted in the Louisville (Kentucky) Courier-Journal as saying that the 2006 "moratorium would end at such a time as the Episcopal Church elected a gay or lesbian individual in a partnered relationship to be a bishop, and then consecrated him or her."
After an episcopal election, a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and diocesan standing committees must consent to the vote. Gulick said he would carefully weigh the candidate's faith and "what gifts in ministry they have demonstrated."
Founded in 1858, the Diocese of Minnesota includes 106 churches. The current bishop is James Jelinek, who will be retiring.