Eighteen years ago, Dean Paul Zahl flew a black flag to protest the ordination of a partnered homosexual as bishop of New Hampshire. Since then, the cathedral has been embroiled in a long-standing fight with its bishops, with its most recent dean, Andrew Pearson resigning over unresolved tensions with the Episcopal Church.

The Advent Dean said he planned to start a congregation affiliated with the Anglican Church in North America.

"After 30 years of straddling through all of these issues, the Advent has made a fairly definitive decision to be an Episcopal Church full-stop," said Pearson. The pressure on Advent to conform was too much, he said.

"Today, December 7th, the Cathedral Church of the Advent hosted and participated in the ordination of a partnered homosexual as a priest. The cathedral choir provided the music, along with two staff organists. Cathedral Deacon Katherine Jacob was the gospeller. Interim Dean, Canon Craig Smalley, participated in laying hands on the ordinand. In a generation, that which was once protested is now sanctioned," wrote Greg Garrison of the Birmingham News.

Prior to his leaving, Dean Andrew Pearson refused to schedule the ordination at the Advent. The reasons for his refusal were known to the Advent's senior leadership. Upon his departure, the objection was seemingly dropped.

Towards the end of Dean Frank Limehouse's ministry, ordinations were few at the Cathedral. During the tenure of Pearson as Dean, they ceased. Though nothing was stated publicly, there seemed to be a generosity from Bishop Kee Sloan to not force the issue of ordaining individuals the Cathedral would object to, at the Cathedral. In an effort to normalize relations between the Cathedral and the Diocese of Alabama, Bishop Glenda Curry moved ordinations back to the Cathedral.

For nearly 30 years the Cathedral and the Diocese were at war over the direction of the Episcopal Church. This event indicates that the Cathedral Church of the Advent is committed to the Episcopal Church and its mission. Any resistance that remained left with Dean Pearson.

It was also noted that the Reverends Rich Webster and Huey Gardner participated in the service as well. They are the rectors of large churches (St. Luke's, Mountain Brook and St. Mary's, Birmingham, respectively) that formerly opposed the direction of the Episcopal Church as well.

Bishop Curry has done a masterful job of bringing a unified front to the Diocese of Alabama, said a diocesan press release, but the cost is the gospel witness and the end of a once powerful force and voice for the gospel in Birmingham. The spiritual end of the diocese is now written in stone.

STORY UPDATED

Following the publication of this story I was roundly criticized by a member of the cathedral who said I misrepresented Dean Smalley and that he did not know the priest’s sexual orientation. He said my sources were wrong and I should retract my story. Dean Smalley issued a statement which in part said this:

“The Diocese failed to inform the Advent of this issue even though the bishop had agreed that the Advent would not be asked to participate in, sponsor, or otherwise be seen to endorse an event that was incompatible with a traditional view of Scripture, or do anything that would assert, suggest, or imply that the Advent approved, condoned, or authorized such theological expressions.”

However, Bishop Glenda Curry issued her own statement regarding the ordination. Here is what she said.

“The information about the four people ordained was widely published in the diocese prior to the service. They were selected, trained, and approved for ordination pursuant to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church. They were vetted by the Standing Committee of the diocese and the Commission on Ministry.

As I wrote, there is no way Dean Smalley did not know. Why did he not protest this ordination which violates Scripture and tradition. Why has there been no public protest of this irregular and unbiblical ordination since it took place. Why did he not stand up for Biblical marriage? His predecessor Dean Pearson resigned rather than compromise his faith. Why has there been no public exorcism of this abominable ordination. TEC has played the long game with this cathedral over homosexuality and they have won.