Tennessee Bishop Announces New Election Date
05/22/2006

If all goes according to plan, the Diocese of Tennessee will have in place a successor to the Rt. Rev. Betram N. Herlong, whose last day as Bishop of Tennessee is Oct. 31. In an interview with The Living Church, Bishop Herlong identified Oct. 28 as the date for the next election, which will be held at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville.

Specific dates for other milestones are still being decided upon, but Bishop Herlong said the diocese has received a positive ruling from the other diocesan chancellors and will not have to submit a new request from bishops and standing committees before holding an election.

About half of the members from the previous nominating committee are willing to participate in a new search, Bishop Herlong said. They will be combined with an equal number of new search committee members. There will be an opportunity to submit names by petition and there will also be a series of question and answer sessions scheduled with the nominees.

Bishop Herlong said the simplest explanation for why the diocese was unable to elect his successor on three previous attempts was because the clergy and laity disagreed as to who that person should be. the rest at The Living Church