wfn.org | Diocese of New Jersey outlines stra

[ENS.parti@ecunet.org (ENS)]

October 16, 1997
Episcopal News Service
Jim Solheim, Director
212-922-5385
ens@ecunet.org

97-1975
Diocese of New Jersey outlines strategy for healing and reconciliation 

by James Solheim
      (ENS) In a report from its wellness committee released October 6
and mailed to all clergy and parishes, the Diocese of New Jersey
launched what it hopes will be a plan of action for healing and
reconciliation.
      Among the major proposals are a support group for Bishop Joe
Morris Doss, monthly mentoring visits by another retired bishop "to
observe the process of healing and act as an advisor on all matters,"
retreats and conferences to rebuild trust with clergy, efforts to address
the "hurt and frustration" of blacks, improved communication and staff
structure, and increased financial accountability.
      The plan builds on the May report of a consultant, the Rev. Peter
Steinke, that painted a portrait of a "quiet, in-grown, parochial and
conservative" diocese that is large and diverse, riddled with divisions.
The report also indicated that some factions in the diocese laid much of
the blame at the feet of Doss while others argued that most of the
problems had deep roots going back for many years before the election
of Doss in 1994.
      When the attacks on Doss escalated, alleging alcohol abuse among
other failures, Doss sought the help and advice of the church's chief
pastor, Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning. In a letter that accompanied
the wellness committee report, Browning expressed his hope that the
people of the diocese would see the report as "a constructive and hopeful
document" and a "new way forward."
      In an October 13 letter to the diocese, Doss said that he was
"personally committed to implementing the proposals for healing
contained in the wellness report, especially addressing and remedying
those criticisms of my own behavior, and I am asking all members of the
diocese to join in the process to help me by forgiving each other, healing
our wounds, and rolling up our sleeves to do the hard work of rebuilding
trust in each other."

A spirit of mutual trust
      In conflict situations "a spirit of mistrust can develop very
quickly," Browning noted, and "judgements can be made that exaggerate
the original problems and make them all the more difficult to address."
In the face of "allegations of possible misuse of alcohol and questionable
financial management on Bishop Doss' part," Browning said that he
agreed with the bishop's request for "a professional evaluation."
      After an August evaluation at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas,
Browning reported in his letter that the clinic report "notes that he does
not at this time exhibit characteristic alcoholic behavior." The diocesan
treasurer assured Browning that "consistent audits of diocesan funds...
have shown no irregularities." Doss and Browning agreed that it would
be helpful to "invite a senior bishop to serve as mentor" and announced
that Bishop George Hunt, retired bishop of Rhode Island, had agreed to
spend about a week each month in the diocese. 
      Citing Hunt's "experience, compassion and enormous good
sense," Browning expressed a confidence that "he will be an objective
listener to both the bishop and the diocese. I believe his presence will
help to restore a spirit of mutual trust and improve communication."

Healing and forgiveness
      Deploring a range of accusations in the press, Doss said that he
has "refused to allow myself to be pulled into hurtful, unprofessional and
inappropriate public argument." Instead he has "patiently trusted in the
proper unfolding of events and knowledge, allowing the truth to be
revealed as our time-tested judicial and ecclesiastical institutions operate
systematically."
      Interviews by Steinke earlier this year revealed that many found
Doss "engaging, amiable, charming, a bishop who is "intelligent...warm
and sensitive." Others complained that he was manipulative, arrogant,
condescending and displayed a leadership style that was impatient and
compulsive. The consultant said that about half the diocese occupied
middle ground, conceding that the bishop had problems but expressing an
eagerness to move on with the church's mission. The other half, he
estimated, was split almost evenly between opposition and supporters.

Lawsuit complicates search for healing
      A story in the Trenton Times the day after the wellness committee
report was released alleged that a seminary professor had been asked by
the bishop to write an unflattering letter about one of Doss's critics who
was being interviewed for a call to another parish--and that Doss lied
when confronted.
      The Rev. Alan French is accusing the Rev. Charles Rush, who
teaches at New Brunswick Theological Seminary, of defamation for
writing a letter at the urging of Doss to the search committee at St.
Luke's Church in Gladstone. In a July 25 deposition Rush described a
meeting with an "emotionally distraught" bishop who admitted that he
had lied to others about his discussions with Rush.
      The diocesan chancellor, Richard Catenacci, said in a news
account that he was "astounded" that the deposition became public and
that he was "ethically bound not to comment."  Others said that making
the lawsuit public was just another example of how desperate the
bishop's critics were to oust him. 

People want change
      The bishop's promise to cooperate "was well received but may
not be enough to quell rampant mistrust," said the Rev. Peter Stimpson,
chair of the wellness committee, in an interview. Even those who have
expressed support for the bishop are discouraged by his apparent inability
to acknowledge his own role in the hurt that many are expressing--and
find a way to respond, he observed. He said that it was dangerous to
assume that the criticism was coming from "a small group of people,"
arguing that "a wide cross section of the diocese" is represented in the
criticism.
      While admitting that some of the problems identified by Steinke
predate the election of Doss, "healing can't happen if the bishop doesn't
see the problem and change his behavior," Stimpson said. "People are
tired of words, they want to see some change in behavior." He is afraid
that bringing in a mentoring bishop "may be too little, too late." And he
predicted that the "financial revolt could spread," that the middle ground
identified by Steinke could move to open opposition. "Even people in the
center are saying enough is enough." He added that an independent audit
of the bishop's discretionary funds would be a good first step and might
help restore confidence.
      The Rev. Roger Hamilton, president of the standing committee,
shares Stimpson's frustration and pessimism. "It is a very difficult
situation," he said, "and it is not getting any better." He deplores the
deepening factionalism in the diocese, pitting people against each other.
"People are uniting around everything but Jesus," he said.
      
Character assassination
      The Rev. Walt Zelley, a rector in Metuchen who is senior warden
of the diocesan council, said in an interview that he finds it
"incomprehensible that a group of priests can act this way. Nothing the
bishop has done warrants these attacks. How can they treat a human
being and his family this way?" He is convinced that a small group,
"maybe 10 percent," has launched an organized campaign to convince the
vast majority in the center that the diocese is out of control and that there
is no way forward.
      "Let's get back to the business of reconciliation, let's talk, let's
get the diocese back on track," Zelley said, adding that he was
"infuriated with the character assassination by innuendo directed at the
bishop." And he contended that Steinke made a serious mistake in
allowing critics of the bishop anonymity. "If someone has concrete
evidence against the bishop, let's see it or let's stop the faulty
allegations," he said.
      "The last thing I want to see is a bishop removed," Zelley said. If
the critics succeed in their efforts to force a resignation, "the diocese
would be in the hands of some pretty sick, malicious people. And the
psychic wounds would be terrible."  
      Zelley said that he sees little evidence of all the "wounded souls"
throughout the diocese, as alleged by the critics. Instead he sees "all
kinds of hopeful signs in the diocese. Given a chance we could do
wonderful things for the kingdom of God. Why don't people just forgive
Doss so we can get going with our real tasks?"

--James Solheim is the Episcopal Church's director of news and
information.