UPDATE: Nov. 6, 2014: As of late last night, the General Theological Seminary released a statement noting that all parties “have today reached an agreement regarding the immediate issues which have led to heated debates within and without the walls of the nation’s oldest Episcopal seminary.” The Board of Trustees, Dean Reverend Kurt H. Dunkle and the faculty are involved in “an ongoing process of reconciliation,” that includes the “reinstatement of all of the returning faculty members on a provisional basis.” The statement reaffirmed the responsibilities of the Board and Rev. Dunkle. A representative of the GTS 8 — the faculty that was “forcibly resigned,” declined to give a comment to Chelsea Now.
BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC | Drizzle could not dampen a candlelight vigil held in support of the “forcibly resigned” eight faculty members of the General Theological Seminary (GTS) on the evening of Oct. 29.
Over 20 people gathered in front of the seminary’s gate (on W. 20th St. btw. Ninth & Tenth Aves.) to advocate for a “safe space” in what has been a turbulent time for GTS.
After trying for a year to work with the new dean, Reverend Kurt H. Dunkle, eight of the ten faculty members sent a letter to the seminary’s Board of Trustees on Wed., Sept. 17, to address what Reverend Amy Bentley Lamborn termed a “toxic environment,” she told Chelsea Now at the vigil.
In that letter, posted at safeseminary.org, the faculty wrote, “Dean Dunkle’s public manner of expression seriously discomforts us and diminishes the reputation of the institution…On several occasions he has stated that General Seminary should not be ‘the gay seminary.’ And he frequently stresses that the institution should emphasize ‘normal people.’ ”
Rev. Lamborn said there are also concerns about the educational direction the seminary is taking, which has changed since Rev. Dunkle’s tenure.
Before this all began, the faculty had gone to the Board of Trustees last May and asked for help, and students wrote letters — but there was a lack of response, she said.
The group, known as the GTS8 (with their own Facebook and Twitter page and the hashtag #Reinst8theGTS8), sent another letter to the Board of Trustees on Thurs., Sept. 25. The letter stated that the eight faculty members would stop working the next day, Fri. Sept. 26. Rev Lamborn said they thought the letter would generate a conversation that would put the group back to work by Monday.
The board responded in a Sept. 30 statement that it accepted the eight’s resignations.
“We never resigned,” she said.
In an Oct. 17 statement posted on the website gts.edu (under “Recent News”), the Board of Trustees stood by the Rev. Dunkle. “We reaffirm our call to him as President and Dean and offer him our continuing support,” according to the statement.
In an Oct. 24 statement (also posted in the “News” section), the eight faculty members — Rev. Lamborn, Joshua Davis, Reverend Mitties McDonald DeChamplain, Deirdre Good, David Hurd, Andrew Irving, Reverend Andrew Kadel, and Reverend Patrick Malloy — were invited to move towards reinstatement.
GTS would not comment to Chelsea Now about the vigil or the dispute.
Since that offer, the standstill has been over the GTS8’s request for an independent ombudsperson, which the Board refuses to grant.
“We think an intermediary is crucial,” said Rev. Lamborn.
However, she said that there were promising signs earlier that day.
“We’re hopeful,” said Rev. Lamborn. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed, we might be back full-time next week.”
At the vigil, prayers were said and psalms were read as a chill hung in the air. A hint of incense emanated from one of the participant’s thurible, an incense burner attached to chains that he swung back and forth like a pendulum.
Holding umbrellas, candles and signs such as “Make GTS Safe for All,” “Safe Space Is Holy Space, with a halo over the “o” in holy, “Is this sign TOO GAY for Dunkle’s GTS?” and “Episcopal Church Practice What You Preach,” the crowd started in front of the seminary and walked around the block clockwise.
They made their way to Tenth Avenue and stopped in front of the former Desmond Tutu Center, which GTS sold due to financial difficulties and is now the High Line Hotel. The sale raised neighbor’s concerns about noise, crowds and the fabric of the neighborhood changing.
“Students are very on edge,” said David Belcher, a theology doctoral student who organized the event. The vigil was a way “to reclaim the place,” he said, and since the breakdown between the faculty, the dean and the trustees, everyone has been affected.
“If you don’t agree, you get a feeling you’re written off,” said Rev. Lamborn. “That’s not just faculty, it’s students.”
The group continued their perambulation towards Ninth Ave. and stopped again between W. 21st and W. 20th Sts., all the way singing while pedestrians gawked or stopped to ask what was going on. A man in a black SUV joined in the hymn and sang out of his car window. They then went back to the gate and went into the GTS campus.
Rev. Dunkle came out while the group circled the campus and also once the vigil was finished. He declined to comment to Chelsea Now, but did offer a look at the seminary’s chapel.
Labor practices have been an issue for GTS, including a 2012 employment dispute involving workers who were members of Service Employees Union 32BJ). At the vigil, Reverend Chris Ballard said he was there because of “the injustice of attacking unions.” Rev. Ballard graduated from GTS in 2012 and was the former associate director of the Desmond Tutu Center. He is now the associate rector at The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew in Brooklyn.
The Reverend Michael Sniffen, the rector at St. Luke and St Matthew, said he came to show solidarity. He said that the dean and the trustees had to be held accountable for their labor practices.
Clay Williams, an alumnus who graduated with his masters in 1997, agreed and said there labor should have the right to organize without the fear of retaliation.
“I’m afraid what is going on is going to lead to the death of the seminary,” said Clay Williams, a computer scientist. “I’m afraid this place might not last.”
