The Rt. Rev. Charles H. Murphy III, consecrated bishop in Singapore Jan. 29 [TLC, Feb. 13, 20], was interviewed recently by Patricia Nakamura.

I know you've been asked this many times, but I must ask you once more: Why was it necessary to do this right now?

We were responding to a crisis, a crisis in leadership, and a crisis in faith, that had been building up for 25 years. There's a growing awareness that the description the House of Bishops gave of themselves in 1991 in Phoenix, they were a dysfunctional house, is accurate, that they were unable to provide the correction necessary. There was an awareness that came out of the Kampala meeting in November, when the four AAC (American Anglican Council) bishops present stated that the Episcopal Church is in a deplorable state theologically ... incapable of self-correction ... we need an intervention ... With the "come and see" visit [of Third World bishops to the U.S.] that produced serious concerns ... along with the petition that had been mailed to 800 bishops around the world documenting the American church's response to Lambeth, the archbishops who decided to act felt like that action was necessary, and that sometimes leadership needs to get out front, and cannot wait for consensus. Therefore, this was a pivotal moment. A decision was made completely on the highest levels of the Communion and it was their choice, their call, their decision.

Archbishop Carey stated in his letter to the Anglican bishops that the canons of South East Asia and of Rwanda were not followed.

That was inaccurate and it will emerge as inaccurate ... Archbishop Moses Tay has released a statement saying they were ... followed. Bishop John Rucyahana of Rwanda, one of the consecrating bishops, said, "I am president of the constitution and canons committee, and I can tell you they were followed. I wrote the constitutions and canons of the Province of Rwanda."

Why did you elect to do this before the primates' meeting in Portugal?

Again, it was not my decision. This has been an archbishop-driven work and action ... There was a concern ... that it was unrealistic to expect the Portugal meeting in March to provide clear and decisive direction. It was not a legislative gathering and it was not the forum to make major decisions. They would have to tell you the reasons they felt it was important to act prior to Portugal.

You are on your way back to Rwanda this afternoon. Why is that?

Just for conversation and consultation. I've not spoken at any length with the leadership of Rwanda since I left Singapore in January. Now that I've been able to discuss things further with the First Promise roundtable and organization, I've been able to get some sense of the response in the American church. They have as well. We felt like a couple of days' time to talk, discuss, consult and plan would be valuable. So I said, "Here I am."

When did you know that a consecration would take place?

We didn't know for sure 'til we got there. I said to Ed Salmon, this thing is being directed at the highest levels of this church, and they will do what they will do.

I must ask you: Who is paying for these trips?

We have funding sources from participating members of First Promise ... and from special designated gifts ... It's expensive to do this kind of work. But if you make the decision to do this work, go over the heads of the local church, the province, the Episcopal Church, to get leadership, you'd better have some money. Money is muscle; it makes things happen.

Can you tell me about Thursday's [Feb. 24] First Promise meeting?

It was our first chance to come together since the Singapore consecrations. It was an opportunity for me to meet with the larger group, and with the advisory committee, which is made up of 18 people who sort of steer this work ... The larger group involving clergy and lay from around the country were here, and others - Reform of Ireland was here, a leader in this effort and work and cause in England ... We could present something of the story of the consecration, answer questions. We had a brief video presentation of the consecration, so people could see, and count the hands.

How large is First Promise now?

It formed in September of 1997. It's got a couple hundred clergy, congregations, and a thousand or so lay people - last time I asked it was about a thousand. It's a coalition of orthodox, 501c3 leaders, and clergy and lay leaders ... We have three episcopal advisors: FitzSimons Allison, Alex Dickson and Ben Benitez.

How would you identity this crisis of faith?

The crisis of faith is a crisis with the authority, the truth of the Bible, and the unique person of Jesus Christ, with his commands, his teachings - We've gotten very nervous about his unique claims. The international community began to say, if we've lost our confidence in the unique nature of Jesus Christ and therefore his command to go out and evangelize, make disciples, not just have conversations with other religions but draw them into the family of the body of Christ ... The crises of faith has expressed itself in a variety of ways. I would say one would be Jack Spong's type of positions. One would be United Religions, in which the voice of that gathering is, we need to step back from the exclusive claims of Christianity and have more of a United Nations opinion of religious thought. [Our Christian] values have become uncomfortable at the highest echelons of leadership, seminary professors.

What happens here in your diocese, your former diocese? How will you function?

[Bishop of South Carolina] Ed Salmon and I are committed to staying very much connected, and working together. He is committed to licensing me so that there is no disconnect. I will continue here at All Saints'. I'm now rector emeritus because I'm in another province. I will continue to bring my gifts and my leadership and my passion for the gospel to this community of faith, and I'll stay very connected to Ed Salmon.

What will be your see? That is, how will you act in an episcopal capacity?

The archbishops who consecrated John Rodgers and me made it real clear that this is an interim action, not the creation of a new entity. It is intended to extend pastoral care and nurture to clergy, congregations and individuals, in dioceses that have become oppressive, restrictive to those of orthodox faith. The letter that came out of Kampala in November stated ... that until orthodox episcopal oversight is restored in all dioceses there will be serious restrictions upon mission ... There is a growing consensus in the international community that there is a crisis in leadership and a crisis in faith. The archbishops asked us not to perform any episcopal actions until after the meeting in Portugal. We can visit, preach, teach, celebrate, the things any presbyter can do. Congregations are approaching us, asking to come under our oversight.

Do you expect this will be people sent only to the United States, or is Europe, England, a concern also?

The archbishops will take that up in Portugal, and the two provinces sending missionary bishops will cross those bridges when they come to them.

Will there be more archbishops taking part?

Lambeth '98 shows us clearly the position of other provinces, other than the United States, Canada, perhaps Scotland, the larger Anglican family. That's a clue. The fact that a number of provinces have come together for the meetings that First Promise has sponsored, that's a clue. The interest and concern voiced in the "come and see" report is a clue. The discussions are on a much higher level than I. My sense is they have a strong resolve to see this through to a successful conclusion.

What about the "continuing churches"?

There are scores ... a serious family of Christians that care about the gospel and about Anglican expression of deeply theological faith. I would want to have conversations with all the continuing churches and all Christians who care about Anglican expression and ethos of the Christian faith. Several have made contact with us ... to hold conversations. I would like to talk to anyone and everyone who wants to have a conversation. We'll see where this thing could go.

How much weight does the question of homosexual people, gay ordinations, have in all of this?

I think issues of human sexuality and other hot-button issues are symptoms of the problem ... Lambeth has spoken clearly about the authority of scripture. If the teachings of the gospel, one, holy, catholic, apostolic are held up, hot-button issues can be resolved, and clearly.

Lambeth said homosexuality is incompatible with scripture. I don't know if the beloved prodigal daughter, the Episcopal Church, wants to come under the authority of the larger mind of the Anglican Communion - or the Roman church, or the Russian Orthodox, or the Greek Orthodox, or the major evangelical and protestant churches. The larger body of Christ is not operating in a theological vacuum. The question is not, "Do we have any direction on hot-button issues?" but "Do we have any desire to conform to the mind of Christ, as embodied in the larger gatherings."

Have you spoken with Bishop Griswold? No.

Do you expect to?

I wouldn't expect he'd be interested in talking with me. I believe he's concerned about this latest development. My counsel to him is that this needs to be discussed at the highest levels of the Communion. o