In the August 14th, 2013, on-line issue of the The Dartmouth Review it was reported that one of the first moves made by new Dartmouth College President Dr. Philip Hanlon was the withdrawl of Bishop James Tengatenga’s appointment announced this past July as dean of the Tucker Foundation.
Bishop James Tengatenga, chair of the Anglican Consultative Council and former Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Malawi was the Diocese of New Westminster’s Synod Partner this past May 24th and 25th.
The withdrawl of Bishop Tengatenga’s appointment came on the heels of mounting controversy surrounding his past and current views on matters of human sexuality.
(Please click the link to access Matthew Davies excellent coverage on the Episcopal News Service. )
In support of Bishop James Tengatenga, Bishop Michael Ingham composed and sent a letter to Dr. Philip Hanlon. It reads as follows:
August 14th, 2013
Dear Dr. Hanlon:
I have read of your decision to withdraw the appointment of Bishop James Tengatenga as Dean of the Tucker Foundation at Dartmouth.
While I am sure you did not take this step lightly I must say, with great respect, that I believe it to be quite wrong.
I have known him for several years. He is an African first, proud of his roots and culture, but also widely travelled, scholarly, wise, and sophisticated in his grasp of the complex realities of justice. He has a far greater understanding of how to bridge cultural differences towards the goal of reconciliation than most of us in North America.
He recently came to Vancouver as the keynote speaker at our annual (Anglican) convention. I am not sure what you know of church matters, particularly here in Canada, but both I and our Diocese in this city have been at the forefront globally of the struggle for justice and dignity for the LGBT community. We have endured and fought against intolerance and homophobia in the Christian Church for almost thirty years.
Tengatenga came here to build bridges between Africa and Canada on the contentious matter of homosexuality. He received three standing ovations. Mr. President, I can assure you no one with homophobic opinions would have received such a welcome here. His wisdom, humour, intelligence, and grace far transcends the narrow confines of a single issue.
After three decades of opposing intolerance and discrimination in both church and society, I must say to you that liberal intolerance is no more acceptable than its opposite. Both are dangerous to civil society and to a free university.
Inclusion must by definition embrace different cultural perspectives. Or else it is not inclusion at all. Dartmouth has lost an extraordinary opportunity to forge a relationship with Africa through one of its outstanding intellectual leaders.
Yours faithfully,
Bishop Michael Ingham
Diocese of New Westminster
Anglican Church of Canada
Vancouver, BC.
Image: Bishop James Tengatenga speaking at the 113th Synod of the Diocese of New Westminster, May 25th, 2013.