Ladson F. Mills III
Born: July, 12 1951
Married to Melisa, two children
Ordained to priesthood in 1980
BA, The Citadel; M Div,University of the South (Sewanee); DMin, Graduate Theological Foundation
Canonical Status:  Georgia
Current Position:  Rector, Christ Church, Frederica, St Simons Island, GA
Previous Positions:  Rector, Church of the Ascension, Knoxville; Rector, Trinity Parish, Myrtle Beach, SC; Rector, Church of Our Saviour, Seabrook and Kiawah Islands, SC;

 

Question:  Why do you want to become a bishop?  What special gifts would you bring to this Diocese?  What are the pluses and minuses of being a bishop in the Episcopal Church?

Answer; Given the manner in which we select bishops in the Episcopal Church it is easy to find ourselves falling into a secular understanding of the process. We use words such as nomination, election and running and while these descriptions are not of themselves inaccurate they do convey a certain understanding. I often find myself falling into this very same trap. The framework of an election may be the process by which we select a bishop but I believe we need to be intentional about the deeper meaning and its implications.

My own awareness of this came as the result of an experience I had in the late 1980's. A priest from the diocese in which I served was elected bishop of another diocese. Following his election I happened to attend the local clericus and not surprisingly this event was the topic of some conversation. I have never forgotten the comment made by one of our clergy. He stated that the priest elected understood and articulated this process in the context of a genuine discerning call to ministry better than anyone he had ever known. The man of whom he spoke is John Buchanan and he is currently your Acting Bishop.

Like many others I had thought of an Episcopal election in very secular terms. I now see this process as the structure we use to discern a call to ministry. Like all calls to ministry there are two elements to consider. One an invitation to a new ministry and the other a call to remain. I believe that I am called to the process of examination and it is my genuine belief that it is through this means we discern the will of the Holy Spirit.

Whenever I come into a new and unfamiliar situation I ask myself two basic questions. First is "The organization up to the task?" and secondly, "Do we root behaviorally what we claim to believe faithfully?" It has been my experience that most churches and I suspect dioceses as well operate between two extremes. These extremes are "the tyranny of the immediate" and the "paralysis of analysis". Neither of these positions is particularly desirable and the two questions I ask help provide the framework for our self reflection. I find this framework to be critical if we are to be able to examine ourselves honestly and more forward in a way that is redemptive for our common life together.

The gift that I bring which I believe might be most appropriate given your current situation is the gift of administration. Whenever we hear this word I suspect for most of us it coveys an image of moving papers efficiently from an "in-box" to the "out-box". While this would certainly not be unhelpful I use the term as it is used in the scripture. It is my understanding that in Greek the word administrate is taken from the Greek theater term which means to choreograph. A good choreographer puts the right person in the right place at the right time.

I have often heard the question raised whether it is better for a bishop to be a good pastor or a good administrator. I cannot separate the two. For me to be a good administrator in true biblical sense is to be a good and faithful pastor.

I have observed that being a bishop offers the opportunity to be a link between a specific region and the wider Church. It affords one the privileges of working with many clergy colleagues and their congregations for the mission of God's church in the world. I find this energizing.

On the minus side our structure can often isolate our bishops from their flock. I am told by many friends who are bishops that the burdens are tremendous and it can often feel very lonely, and the volatile nature of our current situation would help to make this situation even more difficult.

Question: What are you passionate about in your ministry, your personal life and the world about you?

Answer: In my ministry I am passionate about the many opportunities I have to preach and teach. I also enjoy strategic planning. I have recently been working on a strategic plan for my current parish entitled "Christ Church 21st Century". In addition to presenting this plan to our Vestry and appropriate committees, I use this as a teaching opportunity for the Sunday Adult Forum and other groups throughout the parish. It energizes me to be able to present my vision to a multitude of organizations and to be able to discuss it and dialogue with them.

In addition to my parish ministry I am a retired Naval Reserve Chaplain but am currently retained by the Department of Homeland Security to work with units of the Coast Guard. I relish this because it affords me opportunities not typically associated with parish ministry in the Episcopal Church.

In this capacity I often find myself having discussions of faith issues with young men and women who have never been in a church. I have worked with Muslims and other non-Christians (I have even counselled a Satan worshiper). Several years ago I became close friends with a young couple who were to be married. She was Jewish and he a Christian. She honestly wanted me to teach her about our faith and about Jesus Christ. I find these opportunities help me to keep focused on what is good about our faith to those who may have never heard the Good News of the Christian gospel.

In my personal life I am passionate about my family. I am very blessed to be married for 34 years to my wife and best friend. I have two sons with whom I enjoy a wonderful and close relationship, and I am learning how to be a new grandfather with the recent birth of a granddaughter.

I love to run, travel and read. I get up early every morning to look at newspapers from all over the world on the internet. I suspect I am a news "junkie".

Some years ago I became interested in the teachings of C. S. Lewis and intrigued by his ability to meaningfully engage a secular culture. I read the history of his BBC Broadcast in World War II that became the basis for his classic Mere Christianity. I found it brilliant the way he engaged the culture and then only after he successfully engaged them did he disclose that he was a Christian.

I realize this is a different time, but is a model that I believe might have merit today as we engage a post secularist culture. I often hear people say I am "spiritual" not "religious", so I believe the interest and opportunities are available. I would like to help promote Christian speakers on topics that would attract non-Christians as well. My current parish supports this vision and we will be sponsoring a series in January 2009.

Question: Please share two or three moments from your spiritual journey that have helped you become the priest you are today.

Answer: As I reflect on this question there are many experiences that have impacted me on my spiritual journey. There are however three that I believe may get to the heart of this question.

The first experience happened in 1976 when I was not quite 25 years old. By accident I found myself in a hostage situation and spent four to five hours unsure if my life was going to continue. I realize that in life there are no guarantees but at 24 years old I do confess to feeling afraid and angry at the unfairness of it. Obviously it turned out positively for me but it forced me in a profound way for me to deal with the ultimate reality of my own mortality.

The second event for me was the General Convention of 2003 with the confirmation of the election of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire. It has been a very sobering experience to watch the polarization of positions as well as the disintegration of long term relationships. I have seen friends divided on this issue in a manner that is heartbreaking. One of the hardest things for me was to come to grips with the reality of the division that the decision of the convention exposed. I do not believe that this convention caused these divisions; but I do believe it exposed its great depth.

In past experience whenever my parish or even the wider Church experienced difficulty it seemed to be overcome with harder work, better planning and a more clear explanation of the issues. I fell into the trap of believing anything could be fixed in this manner, but obviously I was wrong. I am now coming to terms with a lesson that human ability cannot solve everything. Some things just have to unfold, and it is not an easy thing to accept.

The third thing and the most difficult thing I have ever done is to watch my son go off to war. Even as I write these words, the emotions stir within me. I spent over thirty years in uniform in both active duty and reserve, but nothing I ever did prepared me for the pain of seeing him go. I have never felt so vulnerable in my life and I came to understand the "terrors of the night" in ways I cannot even describe. It is an experience so profoundly humbling that my words are simply inadequate to express the depth of my feelings. I had to turn him over to God, trust Him, and accept there was nothing more I could do.

I will never even watch those old films on the History Channel and A and E and not remember those are real people. Those are sons, daughters, parents, uncles, aunts and cousins and they love their lives as much as we love ours.

Question: Describe how you have displayed and respected the dignity and worth of every human being.

Answer: The phrase used in this question "respect the dignity of every human being" is best recognized from the Baptismal Service PBp 305. I believe, however the deeper precedent for this is found in the decalogue:

Obviously if we love God we will love and respect His creation. Additionally if we wish to have dignity and respect we must model it in our relationship with others.

Last fall I received an invitation to lunch from a member of my parish. This in itself was not so unusual. This particular individual was very good about taking me to lunch on a regular basis. The typical purpose was just to be nice and there was never any agenda.

Our lunch this day was pleasant as usual but you cannot imagine my surprise when he said to me rather abruptly, "There are some things that I need to get off my chest." The next thirty to forty minutes were spent with me receiving some very negative and critical observations about my many shortcomings as a priest and rector.

I was hurt to be sure but also surprised by this encounter. This man was a rector's dream. He was young, attractive, successful and supportive of the Church both with his time, talent and treasure. He had been targeted by me and others for future leadership but at this particular moment I began to wonder if I had not somehow made a terrible mistake. There were many thoughts going through my head but I remembered a phase used by a former associate of mine when he perceived that I felt threatened. He would walk up beside me and whisper, "Mr. Rector remember, respond don't react".

I thought about everything this man had said to me but I also remembered all he had done for our church and me personally. I was also aware that his words of criticism came to me directly and not through a third party. I believed that in spite of my hurt and pain that I owed him the dignity of consideration of his concerns. I swallowed my pride and made him a promise that I would honestly, sincerely and prayerfully take into account what he had shared with me. I did however ask him to at least consider that some if not all of his observations might not be correct.

I am proud to say that almost a year later our friendship did not only endure but has grown. He has taken upon himself even more parish responsibility and we still meet for lunch often.

Interesting enough he has come to believe that many of his observations while well meaning were not accurate. I believe that his observations have helped me to understand that even my well meant intentions can be presented in a way that they are not understood by others. I respect him and a relationship has grown and deepened.

 

Question: Please describe how you have responded personally, and in you ministry to decisions made at the 74th and 75th General Conventions?

Answer:  I view the 74th General Convention of the Episcopal Church as our equivalent to Europe in August 1914. World War I resulted when an incident (the assassination of Archduke Frances Ferdinand) ignited the flames and exposed the deep division that had been carefully concealed for decades if not centuries. I believe the election of Gene Robinson resulted in a similar experience for our church. Like Europe of 1914 we too have found that it is easier to escalate and fight rather than to step back and engage. Like Europe of 1914 we find the fabric of our communion torn and it will be a long and painful process toward restoration.

Following the convention of 2003 I outlined what I believed to be the essential issues facing our church. First I believe that the primary issue is not human rights for lesbians and gays (if so, then I am on one side, if not, then I am on quite another) but the Christian standard of blessing for human relationships. If one wishes to be a priest of the church there is a standard and Gene Robinson did not meet that standard. If the church had made a decision to change its standard and the election had taken place there might have been an argument to be made on his behalf. As it now stands, we now find ourselves in a faith that asserts affirmation, not transformation.

The way I personally responded to this was to seek the counsel of older, wiser clergy. Almost every one of them suggested I read Mere Christianity to help me in my focus on what Christians believe. I also read two books that I thought might be helpful, Rebels from West Point and The Class of 1846. Both deal with how during the War Between the States the officers trained at West Point maintained their personal relationships despite deep political and philosophical differences. This helped quicken the healing following the war. I made a decision that no matter how deep and heated the debate became I would make every effort to maintain my personal relationship with colleagues on both sides of this issue. I have done so.

I also found great comfort in our Episcopal Church history from this era. In spite of our pretending otherwise the Episcopal Church did not stay together during the War Between the States. There was a Confederate States Church but it was never recognized by the Episcopal Church. There was a very emotional scene which took place at the first General Convention in New York City following the war. The bishops from the northern states gave a standing ovation to the returning southern bishops. Bishop Davis of South Carolina, a leading advocate of a southern church, made the formal request for reconciliation. I see many valuable lessons for us in this example.

In my ministry I met with people on all sides and urged restraint. My parish offered a symposium and invited speakers of varying perspectives to assist us in our struggles. I seized upon the church's call for reconciliation but went a step further. Although I believe reconciliation is critical I was concerned that reconciliation without repentance is simply the art of negotiation. I believed then and now that we must begin by repenting. If we come together fully aware of our own sinfulness and need for redemption that puts us in a much different attitude than if we come to negotiate. No matter where one is on this issue I do not believe this qualifies as one of our finer moments.

 

Question:  As a bishop, how would you respond to the controversies of the church today?

Answer:  One of my favorite quotes comes from a British Statesman writing about the Anglican Church in the 18th century. He wrote that "two things can be said about the Church in England as she now is. First we cannot live without it. Secondly, we cannot live with it as it is". I think this might well be a timely observation for today.

I have learned through my years and through many mistakes that in times of great stress it is often helpful to start with issues on which most of us might generally agree. First, our treatment of our lesbian and gays has been abysmal. Our treatment of our conservatives who have struggled to remain faithful to our church has been equally harsh. For a church that speaks continually about the need for tolerance and inclusion we clearly have some challenges.

My first response to any issue would always be to remind us that we need to face the issues from the perspective of a sinner in need of repentance and the gift of God's transforming grace. That may not change the issues we face but it just might change the manner in which we face them. I would also work hard to framework these issues so that our conversations might rightly be about the issue and not each other.

I would also foster relationships. It is important to remember that God reveals himself in Trinity which is a relationship. Living in community is often painful but removing oneself from one's colleagues is never productive. I wish all the bishops would attend Lambeth.

My current parish is the largest single parish contributor to the Compass Rose Society. Along with attendance at the annual meeting in London there is always a small gathering with the Archbishop and dinner at Lambeth Palace. I had read Archbishop Rowan's many comments but to sit face to face with him and listen to his perspective is something no amount of writing can convey. I hope in the future we all might do more praying and listening and much less speaking.

And finally I will approach all issues as a person of prayer. I spent at least thirty to forty-five minutes in intercessing and contemplative prayer daily. Although I cannot pray for each parishioner by name everyday I pray by name for our Presiding Bishop, my bishop, staff and vestry. I have our parish roll divided so I pray for each family by name on a regular basis. This I would do for the diocese as well.

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