Bishops and the Desert Experience: Continuing Education for Bishops
Diocesan Press Service. March 9, 1972 [72029]
SEDONA, Ariz. (DPS) -- Seven Bishops of the Episcopal Church recently participated in an intensive four-day seminar on contemporary spirituality at the Spiritual Life Institute of America here.
The Spiritual Life Institute is located in the Arizona desert and provided the appropriate setting for studying the "desert experience" and the eternal quest for a deeper knowledge of God, according to the Rt. Rev. David E. Richards of the Office of Pastoral Development, which sponsored the seminar.
At the seminar, traditional and classical forms of spirituality rooted in Christ and the scriptures were re-examined by the Bishops along with the spiritual insights offered through Zen and Judaism. Emphasis was placed on the experiential aspect of the learning that was offered. Provision was made for ample times for prayer and silence in a setting of utmost simplicity.
Leaders of the seminar included the director of the Institute, the Rev. William McNamara, a Carmelite Father whose life work is helping people deepen their spiritual lives; Dr. Douglas Steere, outstanding Quaker leader and former professor of philosophy at Haverford College; and Brother William Mueller, experienced educator of the Society of Christian Brothers who is currently doing his Ph.D. on prayer.
Bishops of the Episcopal Church who participated in the seminar were: the Rt. Revs. Chilton Powell and Frederick W. Putnam, Jr., of Oklahoma; the Rt. Rev. Walter Jones of South Dakota; the Rt. Rev. William Davidson of Western Kansas; the Rt. Rev. Edwin B. Thayer of Colorado; Bishop-elect Lemuel B. Shirley of Panama; and Bishop Richards.
The Office of Pastoral Development plans to offer additional seminars in May and November for small groups of Bishops who wish to explore the desert experience, Bishop Richards said. Under a program of continuing education for Bishops of the Episcopal Church, seminars will be offered in such fields as planning and organization, career development, organizational development, and the management of conflicts.