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MY RESPONSE TO THE PRESENTMENT CHARGES AND INHIBITION OF CHARLES BENNISON
by Gregory O. Brewer
Note: On October 31, 2007 Katherine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, formally inhibited Charles Bennison, Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, from exercising all duties as a bishop. She took this action in response to formal presentment charges that were brought alleging that Charles Bennison covered up the affair his brother was having with a 14 year old girl while serving as a parish youth director. Charles Bennison also faces charges of gross mismanagement of diocesan finances and a civil law suit filed by the Rev. David Moyer for breach of contract.
If one had listened to Charles Bennison at yesterday’s diocesan convention one would have hardly known that in only a few hours, his complete inhibition from ministry would begin. He was jovial and upbeat. This was typical Bennison behavior. In times past, whenever someone would ask Bp. Bennison how life was going in the diocese, he would always say, “Never better! This is one of the best diocese in the country;” or something to that effect. That would be said in spite of extraordinary evidence to the contrary: churches closing, accusations of wrongheaded priorities, theological controversies, financial and moral scandal, etc. etc. The list is too dismal to enumerate. I am relieved these days could be coming to an end.
There are many who are relieved that formal action has been finally taken against Charles Bennison. Hopefully his self serving leadership- known for building a camp at the expense of poorer parishes, financial mismanagement, dishonest communication and the mocking classical Christian doctrine- will come to an end. However, one cannot count Bennison out, not yet. He has given every indication that he thinks he can beat these charges. He may be right.
However, I am not only relieved, I am also saddened. The honorable thing for him to have done was to act on the repeated requests of the Standing Committee, begun over one year ago, for him to resign. That would have saved the Diocese and the church at large from terrible publicity, emotional pain, and money that has been wasted on these legal challenges.
I am also apprehensive. While it is the right thing for Bennison to leave, that doesn’t make things necessarily better for the Church of the Good Samaritan in the long run. Note that none of the charges brought against him challenge his views on Christian doctrine, doctrine that the Scriptures would define as heretical. There is a sense from a number of clergy in the diocese that most of his theology is acceptable; only his morals and his leadership are not! If Bennison’s episcopacy is ending, there is no guarantee that we will get anyone more Biblically orthodox in his place.
So, I am making every effort in these days to be prayerful. I am praying that Charles Bennison is either converted or removed. I am praying that God would forgive us in this Diocese for neglecting the proclamation and the priorities of the Gospel. I am praying that God would give us a godly bishop who would truly uphold the faith of the apostles. I am praying for God to have mercy on us all.
---The Rev. Gregory O. Brewer is the rector of Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli, PA.
