Welcome, Bishop Katharine

This morning, at the Washington National Cathedral, The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori was invested as the 26th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church. We watched the service online. The attendant pomp was actually fairly subdued, and from the eclectic mix of worship music and performers to the presence of Native American shamans, Muslim clerics, and Buddhist monks, it was basically everything that gives super-conservative Christians a headache.

The thing is, though, that the whole affair represented (to me, at least) everything the gospel is about. There were no statements about all religions being equal, the clear references to Jesus Christ and his death, resurrection, and return remained intact in the liturgy, and the sermon, based on the beginning of Jesus' public ministry in Luke 4:14-21, was a clear, passionate presentation of the gospel message. Everyone won't agree on that, I'm sure, but that's what I felt as I watched.

The service bulletin was available for download as well, and it ends with this amazing quote from a Roman Catholic bishop. I know that not all churches even have "bishops", but feel free to insert "elder" or "pastor", since they all come from the same root words anyway:

"The bishop belongs to all. Let no one be scandalized if I frequent those who are considered unworthy or sinful. Who is not a sinner? Let no one be alarmed if I am seen with compromised and dangerous people, on the left or the right. Let no one bind me to a group. My door, my heart, must be open to everyone, absolutely everyone."

Let us pray for the church, and all those who minister to her.

Amen.