Are bishops being blacklisted?

From Religious Intelligence:

The American Church’s blacklisting of conservative clergy has spread to the episcopate. On March 9 the former Bishop of Southern Virginia, the Rt Rev David Bane informed Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori that he was resigning from the US House of Bishops and had been received into the Province of the Southern Cone, were he will serve as an assisting bishop in the Diocese of Pittsburgh to the Rt Rev Robert Duncan.

Considered a moderate conservative within the Episcopal Church, Bishop Bane told Bishop Jefferts Schori that his decision to quit the Episcopal Church arose after he had spent three years seeking priestly employment within the Episcopal Church.

Elected in 1998, Bishop Bane and his liberal suffragan, the Rt Rev Carol Gallagher resigned in 2006 after a review committee found that tensions between the two and personal and political conflicts were destabilizing the diocese. “Remaining as bishop would prevent the diocese from healing and moving forward as so much of the blame and animosity continued to be focused on me personally,” Bishop Bane wrote in his letter to the Presiding Bishop.

He added that his decision to resign was predicated upon his being permitted to continue to exercise his vocation within the Episcopal Church. However, since his resignation, Bishop Bane had been blacklisted for employment as an interim and part-time priest, and stated that his calls to the local and national church leaders for assistance had been ignored.

He told the presiding bishop that his calls to his local bishop, the Rt Rev Clifton Daniel of East Carolina had gone unanswered. Writing to 35 colleagues within the House of Bishops “I indicated my interest in doing some kind of ministry to support them,” Bishop Bane said. “I received one response thanking me for the letter and wishing me well.”

Bishop Bane said he was “not angry” and did not see himself as a “victim”, but was “completely baffled by the total lack of care or support of any kind from anyone in the Church we have served in for 25 years.”

Read the whole thing here.