Episcopalians reject Buddhist Bishop
Leaders of the Episcopal Church (in the Anglican communion) have rejected the appointment of bishop-elect Rev. Kevin Thew Forrester (pictured in white). Forrester holds views that are apparently too progressive. Among them, Rev. Forrester:
- Denies that Satan [a Christian version of Mara] exists
- Doesn't believe God sent Christ to die for the world's sins
- Teaches that many paths lead to salvation
The Diocese of Northern Michigan's election of the Rev. Thew Forrester was declared "null and void" on 7/26/09. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says Forrester failed to receive the necessary consent from a majority of Episcopal bishops and diocesan committees.
Rev. Forrester has also been criticized for blending elements of Christianity and Buddhism. In an old diocesan newsletter from 2004, Rev. Forrester said he had "received Buddhist 'lay ordination.'" Some bloggers have also criticized him for calling a reading from the Quran [Islam's bible] "the word of God." This begs the age-old question:
Can you be Christian and Buddhist?
(Dharma Folk, 3/12/09)
The...other day I ran across The God Blog over on the Jewish Journal, which asks Can you be Christian and Buddhist? with respect to Rev. Kevin Thew Forrester. He’s in the news due to irate Episcopalians who will not tolerate him as both a bishop in the Anglican communion and an ordained Zen teacher. More>>
WISDOM QUARTERLY posed the question to Ven. Karunananda, Ph.D. -- a Theravadan scholar-monk of long standing, from our Ask a Monk series. The question of whether or not one can be a "Buddhist" and at the same time another religion is easy. (See following entry).
