It has been nearly two weeks now since television evangelist Pat Robertson made his horrific remarks calling for the assassination of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. While the American public has grown somewhat desensitized by those of the theocratic and fanatical religious right, the Robertson episode breached the generally unspoken code of pastoral conduct within the American pastoral community. Despite the fact that Robertson could theologically and pastorally benefit from a refresher course on the Ten Commandments, it is his breach of the code of conduct I believe will have a much longer impact on the American pastoral community.
Though Robertson and I do not belong to the same faith denomination, we are members of the larger American pastoral community. As members of this community, I believe that each of us regardless of denomination or jurisdiction has been called by God to build up His Kingdom here on earth. Robertson's call for the assassination of President Chavez fails to fulfill God's mandate to those who minister in His name. Robertson has been graced with a gift from God to ministry. He is not James Bond with a license to kill.
The Robertson fiasco come at a time in which the American pastoral community is still reeling and struggling to survive the priest sexual abuse scandals afflicting our pastoral colleagues in the Roman Catholic Church. The Robertson fiasco is now yet another burden the American pastoral community will have to shoulder and bear. Polls and surveys have shown that the American public has lost respect for the American clergy and that this lost respect will take a very long time to recover.
So how can the American pastoral community survive the Pastoral and Ethical Breach of Pat Robertson and others?
I believe that the first and foremost important matter is for those in public ministry to choose between theology and politics. As an American citizen, Robertson and all members of the pastoral community have a right of participate in the political process. The problems begin when Robertson and others bring their partisan politics to the pulpit. I am not sure of the type of academic studies Robertson had as a seminarian, but the history of the Church is littered with the names of those who mixed partisan politics with their pulpits only to experience disaster. What Robertson and the rest of us do within the sanctity of the polling booth is our private choice. As ministers of God, we are obligated to preach His Word and not the gospel of any political party.
When Thomas Becket was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury he was also the Chancellor to the King. In fact it has been said that Becket wore two rings on his right hand - one Episcopal and one political. When Becket came to the ethical realization that he could not be both Archbishop of Canterbury and secular politician he surrendered the office of Chancellor - a choice that resulted in his assassination at the hands of Henry's sycophants.
Thus, when discerning a call to ministry one must make a conscious decision between pastoral theology and secular politics.
Secondly, I would also advocate that denominations demand that their active clergy to make that same decision. Communities of Faith have more than enough on their agendas to fulfill. The business of celebrating the Word of God cannot take a back seat to unrelated partisan politics. The United States already has a bumper crop of politicians and a severe shortage of vocations to ministry. Pastoral theocrats cannot serve two gods.
Thirdly, I would call upon the American pastoral community to call our colleagues to a higher ethical and moral standards and not be timid when we see colleagues breaching those standards. When the Robertson fiasco hit the news, the only two members of the Chicago pastoral community to come forward to counter Robertson's call for the assassination of President Chavez were Jesse Jackson and myself. Where in God's name were the rest of the leaders of the American pastoral community? This ecumenical pastoral and ethical breach demanded denunciation from the entire American pastoral community. I believe that when one remains silent, that silence implies consent or agreement. For the leadership of the American pastoral community to give Robertson a pass on this fiasco only further exasperates this scandal. Shame on their silence.
Finally, the American political community must stop using willing sycophants, such as Robertson, as the mouthpieces for their agendas. Having someone like Robertson use their pulpit for advocating that which is sinful and immoral DOES NOT dispense from sinfulness or immorality.
The American pastoral community has much to do to recover from the recent ecumenical scandals which have impacted our ministries. It is going to take a long time to complete this recovery, if at all. I hope that the people of God will be able to find it in their hearts to forgive us and to permit us the opportunity to earn their trust and respect once again.
And yes, Pat. Its time for you to retire.
Bishop James Alan Wilkowski is the Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest. He can be contacted at bishopjaw@aol.com
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