Ephraim Radner-The Rev. Mark Hansen's inhibition: What is to be done?

The recent inhibition of the Rev. Mark Hanson (St. John’s, Bristol) in the Diocese of Connecticut by Bp. Andrew Smith, and the physical take-over of his parish’s pastoral oversight, buildings and administration raise disturbing questions. Like most outsiders to this episode, I do not know the motivating details of this event. But its public face is clear enough: without personal contact and without clearly stated reasons, the bishop inhibited a priest who in every respect, except in his lack of concrete support of his bishop’s teaching, seems to have been a faithful pastor to his congregation. The manner in which the inhibition took place, including an unannounced visit to change locks and take possession of computer files and other materials, was, to most observers, shocking in its brazen and clumsy assertion of power. Why was no prior meeting held with Vestry and parishioners to explain the bishop’s concerns? Why was no meeting held with the priest? Why does the stated cause for the inhibition – “abandonment of communion” – seem to have nothing to do (and in any case to have been formulated months before the actual actions just taken) with the actual explanations given by the bishop and his staff? The bishop’s actions appear to have little interest in the real pastoral needs of the congregation and rector. As reported by eyewitnesses and newspapers, this is one of the most egregious exercises of unfounded disruption of congregational life – devoid of Christian transparency – that ECUSA has seen in some time.

titusonenine: http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/index.php?p=7852