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cbayer

(146,218 posts)
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 11:10 AM Feb 2015

Episcopal Church Takes A Hard Look At Alcohol After Bishop Is Charged With Drunken Driving

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/15/episcopal-church-alcohol_n_6679300.html

Religion News Service | By Lauren Markoe
Posted: 02/15/2015 11:27 am EST Updated: 02/15/2015 11:59 am EST


In 2010, Heather Cook was caught behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level of .27 — more than three times the legal limit in Maryland — and pleaded guilty. Photo courtesy of Episcopal News Service

WASHINGTON (RNS) Hundreds of American bicyclists die in collisions with cars each year, but a fatal December crash in Baltimore has triggered some serious soul-searching within the Episcopal Church: The drunken driver, authorities say, was a bishop.

Now clergy and laypeople alike are rereading church policy on alcohol and the consecration of bishops, how addiction is handled and whether the church itself was in any way culpable in the death of cyclist Thomas Palermo, a 41-year-old husband and father of two.

The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, one of two main governing bodies of the 2 million-member denomination, said many Episcopalians are asking why church leaders allowed Heather Cook to be confirmed as bishop last September despite their knowledge of her struggle with alcohol.

“Sometimes a tragedy happens and people move on after a couple of weeks,” Jennings said. “This particular tragedy has caused many people to not only look at the issue of alcoholism and other drug addictions but also how we select and elect our leaders, our bishops.”

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Response to cbayer (Original post)

 

skepticscott

(13,029 posts)
2. Wow...the Episcopal Church is looking at the issue of alcoholism
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 03:32 PM
Feb 2015

How 20th century of them. No doubt in a few years you'll post an article titled "Faith communities took the lead in the fight to combat alcoholism".

Late to the party on moral issues, as usual, and even then only when they're shamed into it.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
4. On the upside, I believe you now.
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 04:36 PM
Feb 2015

Why is that, with the drinking/Episcopalian correlation you claimed? Any insights?
I was not aware it was a thing till you started cracking jokes about it.

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
5. Do you realize how demeaning this post is?
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 09:25 PM
Feb 2015

I told you before I don't give a damn if you believe me. Ask someone else and consider treating them better than you did me.

Good night.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
6. You seem to give a lot of damn.
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 09:41 PM
Feb 2015

I don't understand why you are upset. It was your joke, not mine. I wouldn't have said something like that about Episcopalians as a group. If I had, I would have expected you to speak up about it. And rightly so.

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
7. You believe me now comment.
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 09:49 PM
Feb 2015

You dismissed my experience as an Episcopalian and because an article appears you now believe me.

Let me tell you I know a lot about the culture of my church.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
8. I've asked you twice why excessive drinking (which you brought up) is part of that.
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 10:01 PM
Feb 2015

Still no answer.

I didn't believe you because it sounded like you were stereotyping in your joke.

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
9. No and you know I was not as a former Episcopalian also told you the same thing in that thread.
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 10:03 PM
Feb 2015

You may not have meant to but you dismissed my experience.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
13. You sure concern yourself that I deny, do not trust, or do not recognize your nature.
Tue Feb 17, 2015, 03:09 AM
Feb 2015

All the while, no concern, trust, or recognition of mine.

kwassa

(23,340 posts)
10. In my opinion, it is derived from the culture of England. Drinking, not excessive drinking.
Mon Feb 16, 2015, 10:05 PM
Feb 2015

Bishop Heather Cook is clearly an alcoholic, however. Alcoholism is spread throughout society.

okasha

(11,573 posts)
11. The joke is not about excessive drinking.
Tue Feb 17, 2015, 01:27 AM
Feb 2015

That is something you gratuitously dragged into this thread. You do way too much stereotyping for anyone to take your faux concern seriously.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
12. Did you read it?
Tue Feb 17, 2015, 03:01 AM
Feb 2015

Did you read this op's article which actually tells the same joke Justin did? Read the whole article?

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