Dear Editor,
It has been reported that in a matter of days Bishop Randolph George will be demitting office. Ever since the story of his pending departure broke, my interest in the attainment of the status of bishop was rekindled. News about Bishop George’s retirement was first reported in the Kaieteur News of November 11, 2008.
Some time ago, I enquired about the process which had to be gone through before someone could become a bishop, and even though I did not obtain a satisfactory answer, I observed that someone outside the Anglican and Catholic fold went on to become an archbishop in Guyana.
That caused me to become even more curious and ask how someone became an archbishop? For some time I was worried, but I eventually abandoned my enquiry until the story of Bishop George’s retirement appeared in the KN.
In that story it was reported that, “He was elected Bishop of Stabroek in 1976, and he would later succeed Archbishop Alan John Knight in 1980.” That statement really confused me because I was led to believe that if Bishop George succeeded Archbishop Alan John Knight, then Bishop George should have become Archbishop, but that was never the case. Hence, I was forced to ask the question how a bishop becomes an archbishop?
I subsequently learnt that Kaieteur News failed to accurately report on the matter. The fact of the matter is that Alan John Knight was the Archbishop of the West Indies and Bishop of Guyana, and Bishop George succeeded him as Bishop of Guyana and not as Archbishop of the West Indies.
I subsequently learnt also that the process of becoming the Archbishop of the West Indies is quite an elaborate one, ending with the bishops of the individual territories electing him.
As far as I am aware the current Archbishop of the West Indies is Drexel Gomes, who is also Bishop of Nassau and the Bahamas. Like Bishop George, he too will be demitting office this month.
And a new Archbishop of the West Indies will have to be elected or, perhaps the bishop who recently became bishop in Guyana should be automatically appointed Archbishop of the West Indies.
Bishop George will definitely be remembered for the many positive ways in which he has touched the lives of members of his congregations, but I will remember him most for the firm and irrevocable stance he took against an indisciplined priest who accepted a political appointment without consulting him, let alone securing his permission.
We will surely miss him. May God bless him in retirement, as he blessed him in active service. He has certainly caused us to remember the words of Apostle Paul who at 2nd Timothy 4:7 said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, and I have kept the faith.”
Yours faithfully,
Francis Carryl
I must admit that I did not read this article, but an opportunity to say that Bishop George has demonstrated unequivocally what it means to be a man of spiritual contradiction.His ambivalence to political leaders began and ended with LFS Burnham, even though many other opportunities existed thereafter for righteous indignation. If that is the positive effect he had on his congregants, as a former member of St George’s I am glad to have left early enough to avoid such a role model.
That’s why the best role model is … the mirror…!
Why is he reffered to as ” Bishop of Guyana”, and the Catholic Bishop is reffered to as “Biahop of Georgetown”? The Andlican church is a break-away faction of the “Catholic Christian Religon”, The most powerful religon in the world.The Anglicans wanted to emulate Jesus, but did not want to take the (vow of chastity)! They wanted to enjoy the pleasurs of the flesh!
Peter, the first pope, enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh (of one wife!) Saul, in his letters said that the bishop must be the husband of one wife. Some theologians said even Yeshua (Jesus) was married, but the redactors of the Bible redacted it!
I beg to differ.Personally, he was a silent partner in Guyana. Where was the bishop’s mouth during th oppressive PNC era? Where? I am glad he is gone because he did not oppose the PNC like the Catholic Standard did.He did nothing.
I beg to differ. This man fought for free and fair elections. He had to stand up in front of his congregation every Sunday knowing that the majority of them were PNC supporters and challenge them to be champions for change.
He and Bishop Singh walked together on Regent St. in times of violence calling for peace in the times of the PNC.
He co-authored,with Bishop Singh, a reply to the then PNC Minister of Home Affairs on violence.A masterpeice!!!
Nah. This is a good Christian.
You are mistaken my friend. Bishop George on many occasions preached against the Burhnam Regime from the pulpit of St George’s at that time, particularly at Synod. May God bless him on his retirement.
I will remember Bishop George for his courageous fight for Free and Fair Elections in this country and his stand with Bishop Singh for Peace in this land of ours. A truly great man and proud Guyanese.
Bishop George was vehemently opposed to the PNC and its alleged excesses. He failed to exercise the same judgement in relation to the PPP and has been stunningly quiet over the years of human rights abuses, extra-judicial killings, etc. As a former altar boy of St. Georges, I am and was disappointed in his moral leadership. His is not the quality of spiritual leadership jesus would have provided!
Right Reverend Dr Alan John Knight was the Archbishop of the West Indies during the colonial days which also included then British Guiana. Hence there was no need for a Bishop of Guyana. After Guyana became an independent nation and Archbishop Alan John Knight retired since there was already a Catholic Bishop of Georgetown, the elected Anglican Bishop was names Bishop of Stabroek which you historians noted was the original name of the capital before Georgetown. I am not very familiar with Bishop George’s take on many social and political issues but he seemed very conservative in his thinking and striked me as emulating the british in his speech. I am a progressive/radical Anglican/Episcopalian resident in the US with strong ties to the Diocese of Washington DC, one of the most liberal dioceses in the US which started the ordination of women to the priesthood. Bishop George was not a supporter of women priests, an opinion which he onced expressed to me in the living room of my late father. A fact which struck me as sexist and somewhat backward thinking. I hope that the newly elected Bishop of Guyana takes note of the changes taking place in the rest of the world and comes to accept the reality of women in the Anglican priesthood. It is a change whose time has come. May Bishop George enjoy his well deserved retirement and the 21st century be welcomed into the Anglican Diocese of Guyana.