One of the United Methodist subscribers to Kairos-News sent me the following
clarification of a point made in my recent article on the Association for
Church Renewal (ACR) meeting in Fairfax, VA. Apparently, UM Bishop Susan
Morrison participated in a pagan rite called "croning." But it cannot be
proven that she is a practicing pagan. I pass on to my readers the note that
I received on the matter. BTW...the new Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury,
Rowan Williams, also participated in a pagan rite last year in which he
became a Druid. It is my continued belief that participation in such rites by
any Christian, including those called to the office of bishop, is a rejection
of Christ, as defined by scripture and the witness of the early Christian
martyrs, who went to their deaths rather than being forced to make such
compromises.

The Editor

To the editor:

<<Let me mention about our UM bishop, Susan Morrison (check your spelling

on that, by the way.) She is not an open practioner of Wicca, Christopher.

We believe she participated in a croning ceremony that took place at a beach

house. She was at the beach house with a group of others. Two evangelical

clergywomen brought a complaint against her about the matter. When they came

together for the Supervisory Response session and asked her about the

ceremony, she simply did not answer their question or say anything about it.

She said it was none of their business. So, that is all the further it got.

We can't say she is openly practicing anything, however, because that has

not been substantiated. I think it would be good to make that correction on

what you sent out. You could say that this bishop was a major participant in

the controversial Re-Imagining Conference of 1993 and was challenged about

"alleged participation in a Wiccan croning ceremony." This charge brought an

official complaint against Bishop Morrison but was ultimately dismissed

without resolution, to the deep disappointment of the clergywomen who

brought the complaint.>>