Presiding Bishop
23rd Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, 1974-1985
“As I see the Presiding Bishop, he’s not ‘boss’ – [it’s] a servant’s role....” 20
Allin saw the Presiding Bishop’s role as a broad consensus-builder: avoiding sides in theological and ecclesiological disputes and securing personal relationships. Allin was aware that many of his personal convictions were at odds with the prevailing winds of change and had to be tempered in his position as Chief Pastor. “The task of the Presiding Bishop,” he said, “is not to tell Episcopalians how to think and how to vote on such issues. My job is to try to keep us communicating so that we may hear the answers which God gives to our questions.” 21