From the Very Revd Dr Robert MacCarthy
Sir, - The courageous action of Archdeacon Leslie Stevenson
in withdrawing from his appointment as Bishop of Meath &
Kildare (
News, 3 May) has raised some important questions for the
Church.
First, it has shone a spotlight once again on deficiencies in
the present method of electing bishops, which dates only from the
1960s. Under the present system, the appointment has to be made at
a single meeting of the Electoral College, and there is no
provision for prior nominations or prior consent by the persons
proposed. This contrasts sharply with the system in force in the
Scottish Episcopal Church and elsewhere in the Anglican
Communion.
Under the latter, proposed names are circulated in advance to
members of the Electoral College. Bishop David Chillingworth, who
has experience of both systems, has told me that the Scottish
system is infinitely preferable, although it is very hard on the
families of defeated candidates.
Second, Archdeacon Stevenson was duly elected by the Electoral
College last January, presumably in full knowledge of the facts of
his two marriages, and this appointment was duly confirmed by the
House of Bishops last February. Why was it not until after the
rehearsal had taken place for the consecration on 1 May that
Archbishop Jackson and two other bishops visited Archdeacon
Stevenson "in a pastoral capacity"? Not surprisingly, Archdeacon
Stevenson withdrew his acceptance of the post the following
morning.
The honorary secretaries of the Meath & Kildare synod, in
their statement, have spoken of "strenuous and adverse publicity .
. . that led to Leslie's announcement of his intention to decline
the appointment". This is contradicted by Kieron Wood (Letters, 10
May), who says that he merely reported the facts in The Sunday
Business Post, and that it was the Archdeacon himself who
volunteered the information that he had had an "inappropriate
relationship" between his two marriages.
ROBERT MacCARTHY
Former Dean of St Patrick's
Cathedral, Dublin
Suirmount, Clonmel
Co. Tipperary, Ireland