20180903-0919 📧 TEC Contact Form
Name: Logan Isaac
Describe Yourself: Congregant
Interested in: The Presiding Bishop's Office
Comments / Questions:
I am contacting you as a communicant in good standing of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States to request that Stanley Hauerwas be
removed from the speakers list for the September RADVO Conference in Dallas,
TX. He is currently scheduled to speak Thursday, September 20th at 6pm.
On May 22, 2016 I reached out to Hauerwas “in the spirit of Matthew 18,"
following multiple public statements by him which dehumanized myself and
other members of the military. On June 15 and July 25 he and I met on campus
at Duke University, where we were both teaching at the time, with the stated
goal of reconciliation. The fruit of these two meetings was an agreement to
“co-teach” a course on the virtues of military formation. After
developing the course together, on November 3, 2016, Hauerwas demanded an
exchange of favors from me, which would have substantially reduced student
enrollment and, consequently, the likelihood of that course being taught
again. His demand was coercive, including an explicit condition which an
ordinarily prudent person would have known carried substantial risk to my
future employment as a whole. Another faculty member has told me I likely
have been “blacklisted” from doctoral programs for reporting the abuse,
which effectively has denied me the opportunity to pursue a career in my
profession of choice.
In January, 2017 I involved my priest, the Reverend Karen Barfield, who
convened several members of Saint Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Durham, NC
to serve as a small discussion group to discern steps forward. As a result of
that discernment process, I contacted Hauerwas’ priest, the Reverend Clarke
French on July 29, 2017, asking for a mediated conversation in the continued
hope of reconciliation. Rev. French relayed to me that Hauerwas was
“unwilling” to meet. The week of August 5, 2017, I was referred to Bishop
Suffragan Anne Hodges-Copple via the pastoral response team, as she was the
acting Diocesan Bishop at the time, who expressed similar concerns about
Hauerwas’ behavior and indicated that others have had comparable
complaints. The current Diocesan Bishop, Bishop Sam Rodman (CCed), was
involved starting on February 20, 2018 and he continues to impress upon
Hauerwas my request for a mediated conversation. The fruit of those efforts
are unknown to me.
This is ecclesiastically significant because the requirements of the
Eucharist, outlined explicitly in the Anglican Catechism, include
self-examination, repentance, and living in love and charity with others, two
of which Hauerwas has refused to display toward fellow Communicants. This is
also significant because the exchange of favors that Hauerwas demanded is a
secular crime. Because Hauerwas and I were each employed by a "program or
activity receiving Federal financial assistance,” his actions also reflect
the crime of intimidation as described by 18 USC § 245 (b)(4). Furthermore,
as a disabled combat veteran, I am protected by other federal laws which this
behavior violates, including, but not limited to, the following
* Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment & Assistance Act of 1974
* Sections 503 & 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
* Title I & II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Hauerwas' behavior has trivialized our tradition & doctrine time and time
again, and has himself directly undermined the exclesiastical authority with
which priests are divinely ordained; neither the Holy Orders of two parish
priests nor two diocesan bishops have yet proven sufficient to compel him to
reflect the qualities of membership in the Anglican communion by being
reconciled to a person against whom he had abused his power and influence.
Furthermore, this contrasts sharply with Archbishop Justin Welby’s stated
priority of reconciliation.
There are plenty of platforms and events which he is uniquely qualified to
address, especially within the academic arena, but a gathering to celebrate
and inspire the next generation of priests is no such venue. I must insist on
a response in writing, given the short amount of time left before the event.
If no reply is given to this private correspondence, or indicated by email
prior to 11:59pm on Wednesday, September 5th, it will be converted to an
"open letter" that I will share with journalists as well as the general
public. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your
considered response, or an indication that one is pending.
In Christ,
The results of this submission may be viewed at:
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/node/8596/submission/176841
