News from the North American College of Gnostic Bishops

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It is with grave concern that we note that the Georgia Board of Paroles and Pardons has today turned down the request for clemency in the case of Georgia death row prisoner Troy Davis. Despite significant doubts about the guilt of Mr. Davis, Georgia has scheduled him for execution tomorrow,  September 21,  at 7 p.m. in Jackson, Georgia.

The murder of Savannah Police Officer Mark MacPhail was a horrifying crime, one for which his family certainly deserves to see justice done. But a review of the evidence in the case raises significant doubts about Mr Davis’ guilt: there is no physical evidence linking him to the murder; seven out of the nine eyewitnesses who testified at the trial have recanted, saying that their testimony was the result of police intimidation or coercion; and many witnesses have implicated another individual in the murder, someone who is reported to have boasted of the crime to friends.

There are many unresolved questions about what happened the night of the murder, and only one thing is clear: there is overwhelming doubt. Our prayers are with the family of Officer MacPhail and others who have been impacted by this horrific crime, all of whom have undergone much pain and suffering as a result. However, executing Troy Davis with so little evidence will only add to the injustice.

More than 3,500 members of the clergy have signed the Amnesty International letter to the Board of Paroles and Pardons.  Support for clemency has come from prominent religious figures and government officials across the political spectrum, including Nobel Laureates President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Jose Ramos Horta; as well as Pope Benedict XVI; Norman Fletcher, former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court; Bishop Wilton Gregory, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Atlanta; Mark White, Former Governor of Texas; Bob Barr, former Georgia Member of Congress; William Sessions, former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Rep. John Lewis, Georgia Member of Congress and former Chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; and many others.

On July 16, 2007, in the face of growing awareness of the number of people on death row who were convicted and executed despite reasonable doubt, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles adopted the Order Suspending the Execution of Sentence of Death. That statement reads, in part, “The members of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles will not allow an execution to proceed in this State unless and until its members are convinced that there is no doubt as to the guilt of the accused.”

We believe that in the case of Mr. Davis, there is substantial doubt as to his guilt, and we ask that the Board abide by this commendable statement and take action to halt the execution of Troy Davis.

We ask that all people of good will continue to pray for Troy Davis and his family and for the grieving family of Officer Mark MacPhail and all those who are victims of violence.

The North American College of Gnostic Bishops is saddened to learn of the repose of His Eminence, the Most Reverend Dmitri, retired Archbishop of Dallas and the Diocese of the South of the Orthodox Church in America.

Archbishop Dmitri, who fell asleep in the Lord at his home at 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning, was born Robert R. Royster into a Baptist family in Teague, TX in 1923 and converted to Orthodoxy as a teen. After serving in the Army during WWII, His Eminence worked with the Mexican Orthodox Community of Our Lady of San Juan de Los Lagos. He was later instrumental in bringing members of the Mexican National Catholic Church into the Orthodox Church.

Ordained in 1954, then consecrated to the episcopacy in 1969, his ministry spanned fifty-seven years. His accomplishments include the translation of the Liturgicon into Spanish, the founding of snumerous parishes, and serving as the first Bishop of the OCA’s Diocese of the South. In 2008, following the retirement of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, the Holy Synod of the OCA named Archbishop Dmitri Locum Tenens, a role he filled during a very trying time in the history of the church.

Throughout the 42 years of his episcopal ministry, His Eminence was known as a tireless servant of the Church and a man deeply committed to prayer. In his pastoral letter written to the Diocese of the South on Pascha 2007, His Eminence reminded the faithful of his diocese – and all of us:

“The message is clear enough. Though we have faith and hope, if we have not love, we are nothing. Or to put it in personal terms, related to daily responsibilities: even if we have “our Church” and faithfully perform all that is required of us by the local community; even if we serve long vigils and pray day and night; even if we develop worthwhile ministries and projects within parishes and dioceses; even if we keep all of the fasts and observe every Church holiday; if we do not have love, but rather, are filled with hatred, resentment, pride or arrogance, our efforts are for nothing. We may even profess to have the True Faith, but if love is lacking our efforts to propagate that faith sound like the ravings of fanatics, to those both within and outside the Church.”

As we mourn and offer prayers for the repose of His Eminence and those he served, we also pray that all of us may be strenghtened by the example of his lifetime of service and compassion.

On March 11 a massive eartquake hit the Pacific Ocean neaby Northeastern Japan.  Some estimate that the earthquake and the tsunami that followed may have cost more than 10,000 lives, in addition to leaving tens of thousand homeless and without access to food, clean drinking water, and essential medical care.

Adding to the tragedy is the growing nuclear disaster at Fukushima, leading to fears of a  large-scale radiation release with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Please join with the North American College of Gnostic Bishops as we offer our prayers and thoughts for the people of Japan. For those who have died, we pray for their eternal rest. For those who are missing or wounded, we pray for their speedy rescue and recovery. And for all who have loved ones still unaccounted for, we pray for their comfort.

As we join in prayers during this crisis, you may also wish to contribute financially to the recovery and relief work.

Donations can be made to the Japanese Red Cross through Google’s Crisis Response site at http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html, which also offers resources and information about the disaster.

Recent events in Egypt and Tunisia, as well as elsewhere in Middle
East have highlighted the importance of governments that are
responsive to the needs and rights of their citizens.  We, the members
of the NACGB, support unequivocally the right of all peoples of to
self-determination and freedom from oppressive government.

Whereas both Gnosticism and Christianity generally have their roots in
the lands of the Middle East and North Africa and

Whereas the Gnostic Churches owe an especial debt to the traditions of Egypt and

Whereas the Gnostic Churches share a unique bond with Coptic
Christians, in whose language many of the Gnostic Scriptures are
written, therefore

We pray that those entrusted with the public good in Egypt and
elsewhere, and those who struggle for freedom in their own nations
will be guided by the Holy Spirit and act in the interests of peace,
freedom and human dignity.  We pray for a peaceful conclusion to the
conflict in Egypt and also that the needs and rights of all Egyptians,
of all faiths, genders and origins, will be respected by the
government of Egypt.

On the Morning of 5th December, 2010, one of the lights of the Martinist and Gnostic communities, His Grace Bishop +Elias Ibrahim of Sydney passed into the absolute from complications related to pneumonia. Bishop Ibrahim suffered a stroke in 2009 from which he never fully recovered. He was remembered on Thursday morning in a Sufi rite in his home town of Sydney, NSW, Australia.

+Elias was a member of +Lewis Keizer’s Home Temple, and was active as a spiritual counselor and initiator. He was an initiated Sufi and was well versed in a wide variety of forms of mysticism. A frequent contributor to a number of forums on subjects related to Martinism, Rosicrucianism, Gnosticism and Sufism, +Elias was a staunch defender of traditional forms of initiatory practise. His contributions were scholarly and passionate, and he will be missed by all in the Gnostic community.

We, the Churches of the North American College of Gnostic Bishops do,
severally and together, affirm the following principles:

That no single Church, or Jurisdiction, or Organisation has a monopoly
on Truth, and that Truth belongs to the common treasury of all men and women of good will throughout the world.

That the diversity of Gnostic Churches in the world at the outset of
the 21st century is neither a necessary evil to be tolerated nor merely a contingent historical
phenomenon, but rather that the diversity of Churches is both necessary and desirable.

That a diversity of Gnostic Churches which actively, through liturgical ministry and service to all seekers
after truth, contribute to the richness and development of the Gnostic Movement as a whole, is salutary
for the accommodation of various spiritual needs on the part of a diverse community of seekers, and for
the pursuit of Unity without constraint of Uniformity.

We affirm further that the desire to win converts from other churches, to expand one Church at the
expense of another, is detrimental to the health and flourishing of the Gnostic Movement as a whole,
and that source of Unity is neither traditional nor legal form but each individual’s fundamental and
unique experience of Gnosis.

The North American College of Gnostic Bishops mourns the passing of one its own- The Most Reverend John Cole, in Ecclesia Tau Ioannes Harmonius.

His Grace was a dedicated and true Servant of the Gnosis, and an accomplished esotericist and Martinist- having served as a Bishop in the Ecclesia Gnostica Apostolica (Bishop of Evansville, Indiana), Presiding Bishop of the Gnostic Church of Christianopolis,  Grand Master of the Ancient Martinist Order (Sar Quaero Lucem) and Grand Commander of the Rosicrucian Order of the Grail.

His Grace joined the NACGB as the delegate for the Gnostic Church of Christianopolis in early 2005 and in 2007 scaled back his participation to Individual Membership. This was owing to his battle with cancer which he would continue to fight bravely in the years to come.

His Grace was widely respected in the Ecclesiastical Gnostic movement, and he enjoyed good relations with many clergy and laity throughout. We all have been blessed by his efforts and contributions, and his presence will be felt and remembered for many years to come.

May eternal light shine upon him.

The recent passage of Arizona Senate Bill 1070 has highlighted the
complexity of the debate surrounding illegal immigration and the
plight of immigrants in the United States.

In light of this debate, the member jurisdictions of the North
American College of Gnostic Bishops wish to reassert their unwavering
commitment to respect for the dignity and basic human rights of all
persons without regard to race, ethnicity, language or immigration
status.

We pray that those who are charged with the enforcement of this law
will do so with the utmost respect for these principles and the rule
of law, and that this law does not become an excuse for those to whom
we entrust the common good to deny to those who are different the
respect and fundamental rights that are the birthright of all persons.

The following is the text of the State of the College address from the President of the North American College of Gnostic Bishops, delivered at the 2010 Alexandrian Gnostic Church Conventicle:

Your Eminence, Your Grace, Your Excellency, Brothers, Sisters and Clergy of Alexandrian Gnostic Church, the Apostolic Johannite Church, guests and friends.

I want to thank His Eminence and the Alexandrian Gnostic Church particularly for the opportunity to address this Conventicle as well as for your hospitality, fraternity and dedication.

Everything you are gathered here to do reflects the best the College has to offer and most of all embodies the principles of the North American College of Gnostic Bishops.

We can have no greater exemplification of the purpose of the North American College than what we can each see here reflected so plainly in the faces of our brothers and sisters gathered this weekend.

Communion, education, dialogue, respect, the sharing of resources, a common intelligible voice, informed by compassion, guided by reason, fueled by action, framed in diversity and grounded foremost in the experience we call Gnosis.

It is these very things that have driven and enabled the Churches of the College to achieve some remarkable things in the last six years.

The foremost of these things are education and organic communion.

Through the dialogue of NACGB Churches- the member jurisdictions have been better equipped to create on the one hand, and maintain on the other, Active Seminary programs that not only educate and encourage historical, theological and religious exploration, but pastoral exploration as well- working to create true formation for its candidates, with a direct impact on spiritual and social value derived by the good people for whom these candidates are formed. Creating spiritually and socially aware individuals in the Body of Christ, institutionally promoting the exercise of conscience, while leaving its exact determination to the individual themselves.

At the same time, the exchange of ideas found in the halls of the College has enabled its member jurisdictions to promote Gnostic education in a way that helps define, nurture and recognize the individual traditions and customs which each Church brings to the table, while being committed to ensuring the independence of those same Churches, and enshrining the same in the College’s Constitution itself.

Through the exchange of reading lists, course material, event speakers and the continuing education of clergy and laity- the Jurisdictions of the North American College work to bridge the gap between intellectual and scholarly study, responsible for reminding and grounding us in our historical roots and a boots-on-the-ground theology possessed of a transformational quality which brought each one of us here in the first place.

Making a priority of these things in turn better equips the Jurisdictions of the College as we prepare to enter a new decade of mainstream exploration and examination of Gnosticism as an historical movement, a modern religious movement and a personal spiritual path.

We have also seen an unprecedented exchange of information, resources and people- providing community, support, pastoral care and sacramental service in situations where one individual church cannot sufficiently provide alone.

Neither is this exchange limited to clerics, dignitaries and administrative personnel- indeed we have seen the flowering of spiritual exchange and friendship at the heart of each of the NACGB Churches- particularly through our Conclaves and Conventicles- clergy and laity of different churches, each offering all they have freely, to give rise to a unity that transcends the need for uniformity. You don’t have to take my word for it, ask yourself how you feel when our time here this weekend comes to a close.

What defines the North American College of Gnostic Bishops to the rest of the movement and determines the success we have in interacting with it, is how we interact and conduct ourselves with each other.

Through its commitment to common causes- be they social, spiritual or otherwise, and through profound statements of intent followed by examples of action- the North American College has worked through adversity and opposition to create an environment where those jurisdictions and peoples on the margin can be brought into the center- promoting voice and respect alike in equal measure to all within the movement as befits the dignity of each individual Gnostic’s calling.

One such means whereby the Churches of the NACGB have sought to do this, and whose efforts have been validated is the All Saints Accord.

Bringing together twelve signatories from ten very different Gnostic Bodies both within and beyond the NACGB- the All Saints accord embodies the best principles present in its members through the commitment to the respect, equality and openness found at the heart of each of these Churches.

Statements such as this one, combined with regular consultation, interaction and participation have created an organic communion enforced by common respect, common trust and most importantly- a common desire- to see that no one is turned away.

We have gone further than we ever have to make our common tradition a living and open one, accessible by many, bringing together scholars and seekers, philosophers and pilgrims, each enriching the journey of the other.

Yet despite the advances I have already outlined, there remains challenges to the continued success of the College and the Ecclesiastical Gnostic movement in general. These are challenges and impulses that have been created over the last two centuries of our history. Isolationism, one-up-man-ship, backbiting, legalism, revisionism, to name a few.

For many looking on and looking in, the face of Ecclesiastical Gnosticism as it has been known in the last two centuries appears by a casual glance to have been dominated not by spirituality but by rote religion, not communion but recognition. Egocentricity in the guise of individuality, tolerance in the clothing of acceptance, a supplanting of the organic with the organizational, and prizing the cult of personality over the veneration and sanctity of personal experience. Machination over metanoia, arrogance over amity, narcissism over nepsis.

When our Churches provide a thousand words about our pedigree and ten words about where we can be found or what we can do for our brothers and sisters, we have a problem.

When our Churches talk strongly about the rightness of our cause, the wrongness of our enemies, but offer no opportunity, ear or hand for the poor in spirit, we have a problem

When our histories are wielded like weapons to fight imaginary wars from the slights of the past,  we have a problem

When our Churches refuse to dialogue, because we feel that offering a seat at the table to a brother or sister church is beneath us, we have a problem

While the NACGB neither created nor sought these problems, we are and must ever be, opposed to them with every resource at our disposal, but more importantly we must be resolved to be a part of the solution.

The North American College of Gnostic Bishops began as a counter-impulse to these all too human tendencies, working to create mutual assistance, amity and communion.

There is no quick or easy solution to banishing the negative characteristics in our movement but the path to overcoming where our movement is not at its best is through this same counter-impulse.

When we realize that our lineages exist not merely to honour our past but to motivate our future, we have the makings of a solution. When we realize that in turning our backs to those in need, that no one is right, and everyone is wrong, we have the makings of a solution. When we realize our histories are to be laid out like landmarks to guide towards wholeness, compassion and understanding,we have the makings of a solution. When we realize that honouring another’s vocation honours our own and that never is anything lost by listening, we have the makings of a solution.

Just as the experience of Gnosis is the beginning, so too are these realizations a beginning.
How we meet them in the world, on the streets and between the pews is where the real work unfolds.

In order to meet these challenges we must expand and develop the efforts of the College, started six years ago and continuing here in this very gathering: dialogue, education, respect and cooperation.

We must reach beyond the limits of territorial instinct through efforts like the All Saints Accord, and work to strengthen our relationships with those Churches, Bishops and organizations outside of the College’s boundaries and mandate- recognizing where our brothers and sisters labour sincerely and with love to the betterment of their fellows. Churches like the Ecclesia Gnostica Mysteriorum and the Ecclesia Gnostica, without whom, much of these efforts would not be possible, and the Gnostic Church of Mary Magdalene, Communities like Palm Tree Garden and Spiral Inward, where Gnostics at great distance, can meet, discuss and share their experiences.

In the coming years, the North American College of Gnostic Bishops will open its doors in new directions, establish new relationships, and strengthen the ties it already participates in- the last of which we’ve already begun through Constitutional changes to allow a jurisdiction to submit clergy and lay representatives for the formation of Advisory Council to the College. This will, in time, ensure that the College always has resource of perspective in how its projects, and policies impact the people who labour the most directly towards making our movement a better, more inclusive, more responsible movement.

We’ve also implemented a standing constitutional committee to guarantee that the College always serves the best interests of its members by protecting it from potential abuses from those who are elected to serve those members. A North American College that is grounded in process, reason and compassion in working with its existing members, is all the better equipped to face the challenges that are presented to it.

Finally, and most importantly- beyond legislation, committees, and accords, there remains a more powerful tool to ensure the success of the College and Ecclesiastical Gnosticism in the years to come. It is made all the more powerful by the fact that it is something that is shared by the entire movement, The NACGB, Gnostic Churches and each individual Gnostic- and that is the power of our example.

More powerful than the words of scripture are the actions inscribed on the parchment of our lives. More pervasive than lineage and succession are the connections we can make and maintain with each other. More moving than ancient tradition, custom or rite, is the communion of humanity and divinity through the power of community. Our scriptures, our lineages, and our tradition are not replacements for these things, but exist to serve them and taking them out into the world is the most powerful alchemy we possess.

I want to thank each of you here, as well as many of our brothers and sisters who couldn’t be here, for your commitment, hard work, and most of all, for your example. We’ve come a good distance, and our work here is by no means complete, but with your continued help and dedication to not only your own spiritual journeys but to our collective journey as well- complete it we shall.

May the Divine Beloved Bless you: +Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.