Nashotah House, the Anglo-Catholic seminary in Wisconsin, has invited Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to receive the Archbishop Ramsey Award, to be presented on September 28. After the award presentation, Curry will deliver the convocation address at an Evensong matriculation service in Adams Hall.
Named for the 100th archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Arthur Michael Ramsey, the award is presented to individuals who distinguish themselves in the areas of ecclesiology, ecumenism and liturgy.
“I am honored to be receiving the Archbishop Michael Ramsey award and I look forward to visiting and preaching at Nashotah House,” Curry said. “Growing up I was influenced by Archbishop Ramsey and his work, and by priests from Nashotah House, so this visit and award are truly special to me.”
The response to Bishop Curry’s invitation has been in marked contrast to his predecessor’s invitation three years ago. A group of three students had urged the board to invite the Most Rev Katharine Jefferts Schori to “see ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) and [TEC] in harmony.”
That invitation caused an uproar that led to the resignation of several board members, and calls for the Dean to resign. Critics included the former Dean, Robert Munday, who wrote that the seminary was setting an example of going “along to get along” instead of being “valiant for truth” and taking “risks for the sake of the Gospel.” Passions were somewhat tempered by the untimely and tragic death of the one of the three students, Terry Starr shortly before the visit, and the visit itself proceeded without incident.