Hundreds Witness Ordination Of New Anglican Bishop

Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez places a miter on the head of Bishop Coadjutor Laish Boyd at his consecration at Christ Church Cathedral yesterday. (Photo by Stephen Gay)

The consecration of Rev. Father Laish Boyd took place at a packed Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau, which brought together Anglicans from all walks of life, a host of Anglican bishops from throughout the Caribbean and members of parliament.

A true "family" affair, Father Boyd walked into the church not long after two of his three sons, who serve as acolytes, entered.

His sister delivered the first reading and his wife, the second reading, while his youngest son looked on from a front pew.

Before taking the oath, Bishop Boyd received a powerful charge from the Rt. Rev. Dr. The Honourable John Holder, bishop of the Diocese of Barbados, who admonished his colleague to speak boldly and balance authority with compassion.

He reminded the new bishop that the step he has taken comes at a critical time in the history of the Anglican Church, which is searching for answers to new questions, while still wrestling with many of the old ones.

He implored Bishop Boyd not to fall into the bad habit of finding quick and ready-made answers for them all, for "there may be none."

"It seems as if the old, solid, sensible, middle-of-the-road approach that we have come to treasure as Anglicans is being ripped apart. It is being tugged to one side by the liberals, and to the other side by the traditionalists and the conservatives," Bishop Holder said.

"For if the former group is convinced that there should be no restrictions on what they can place in the accepted theological and moral package, the latter are declaring in no uncertain terms, that there are some things that can never ever qualify for entry."

Bishop Holder was clearly speaking of the controversial issue of homosexuality that has threatened to spilt the worldwide Anglican Church, particularly following the consecration of openly gay New Hampshire bishop, Gene Robinson, back in 2003.

On the same day that Bishop Boyd was being consecrated, a US Episcopal Church diocese nominated another gay priest as a candidate for bishop, risking deepening the row.

The liberal diocese of Newark, New Jersey named Canon Michael Barlowe as one of four candidates for the post.

"We are witnessing many changes in our time. The old, rigid moral lines and boundaries are slowly, but surely, slipping into large bands of gray. There is much confusion about what the Church’s stand on a host of moral issues, the least not being the human sexuality issues," Bishop Holder said.

"What we once took for granted is being put under intense pressure. There seems to be a weakening of a sense of responsibility to the wider community and there is an emphasis on the rights of the individuals to choose, even when that choice may be in conflict with the well established moral customs and traditions."

But according to Bishop Holder, while the Anglican Church has its convictions for which it will struggle, it will not be forced to compromise or abandon certain basic beliefs, understandings of the faith.

"This Church is firmly in the hands of God as it was from the start," he said. "It has gone though crisis after crisis, far more intense than at present, and it still remains and will continue to remain firmly in the hands of God."

His comments were similar to those Bishop Boyd expressed while tackling the issue as a guest on the Love 97 programme, "Jones and Company" on Sunday.

At the time, Bishop Boyd admitted that it would present some difficulties to allow an openly gay Anglican person to be ordained a priest, as the traditional teachings of the church on the question of sexuality has been, as it is, that homosexuality is wrong.

He, however, added that at the same time, there must be compassion and an affirmation of the gifts that everyone has.

Bishop Holder went on to implore his colleague to always walk by faith and that as he does so, to remember to build on the past, try to shape the present and work to create the future.

"As bishop, live and minister with a deep sense of being a pilgrim. Preserve a sense of journey, for it will be a constant reminder that your focus is to be on the city which is to come," Bishop Holder stressed.

"This is not an excuse to ignore the issues of the day, but a reminder that any response to these issues must be placed in the wider perspective of the journey to the city which is to come. You are advised to approach the issues with the bigger picture in mind."

Before concluding, Bishop Holder admonished Bishop Boyd to be an anchor, compass and guide, to minister with a deep sense of humility, with a deep awareness of his own frailty and to remain humble.

"In spite of the heavy responsibility that comes with the office there will also be those moments of great satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment," he said.

And so while he entered the church clothed only in a white robe with purple piping, Bishop Boyd left in full regalia.

He was vested, bearing the Pectoral cross, attached to a chain around his neck, a ring, the bishop’s miter, the liturgical headgear and insignia of bishops and other prelates and the pastoral staff.

Bishop Boyd will serve as the voice of the Anglican community in the country when Anglican Archbishop His Grace Drexel Gomez retires in 2008.

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