The Rt. Rev. Dan Martins, bishop in the diocese of Springfield, has posted on his blog his intent to skip the upcoming House of Bishops meeting in Taiwan.
He explains his decision, citing several factors: the undue expense, the regrettable impression it would send, and, what he describes as “a polemical narrative about the character of the Episcopal Church.”
Thus, he writes:
My feelings about missing the meeting are not unalloyed. While I do not relish trans-Pacific air travel in economy class (having once done Chicago to Tokyo to Bangkok and back all in a middle seat), I’m sure it would be interesting to see the land, the people, and the church in Taiwan. I will very much miss the interaction with my colleagues, especially my Class of 2011 friends. And I’m facing in the direction of paranoia that, just because I’m not there, something crucial to my interests, or the interests of my diocese, will come up, and my voice will not be heard. There are no doubt those who will judge me pejoratively for not being there, or for the reasons here articulated why I am not there. So there are risks in my decision, and my eyes are open about those risks. Perhaps I err. But, as they say nowadays, it is what it is. I do hope those who attend have a good meeting. I will be holding them in my prayers.