KJS on PBS

Appearing on June 8 editions of Bill Moyers Journal, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori talked about science, the environment, and the challenges in the Anglican Communion concerning issues of human sexuality.The 25-minute segment and a full transcript is available at the PBS website.

For the most part, I was very proud of our Presiding Bishop.

I'm sure many of you wonder what she had to say about the "hot-button" issues. Well, here's the segment that troubled me most. It occurs at 20:56 in the video:

Bill Moyers: You've even been criticized by some of your liberal colleagues in the American fellowship because you have called for a moratorium for a season on ordaining more gay Bishops. Why did you do that?
Bishop Schori: It was a very painful thing to do. My sense was that there might be hope of some kind of broader understanding if we were able to pause. Not go backwards, but pause.
Bill Moyers: Is it fair to ask some aspiring gay or lesbian person who wants to become a Bishop, like Gene Robinson did in 2003, to wait?
Bishop Schori: Is it fair? No. It's not fair.
Bill Moyers: But it's necessary?
Bishop Schori: It's a crucified place to stand.

I still don't understand why she is willing to ask gay men and lesbians to stand in a "crucified place." I still want to hear her explain what crucifixion she is enduring. I still am mindful of MadPriest's commentary on this whole thing.

But all in all, it's a very fine interview. She is intense and reasonable in this interview, and it made me mostly proud to have her as the voice of our Church – in the U.S., and in the Anglican Communion.