A Letter from Bishop Poulson to the Diocese
Dear Friends in Christ,
This is not an official Pastoral Letter (required by canon to be read or provided to all Episcopalians), but I do ask that our clergy in charge of congregations share it with your people.
“Happy Are They”: Navigating Together the Uncertain Years Ahead
(Feast of Saint John Chrysostom, 2025)
Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth,
For there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,
And in that day their thoughts perish.
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!
Whose hope is in the Lord, their God. (Psalm 146:2-4)
My Friends in Christ in the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma,
Before each of the last two Presidential elections, I wrote to you offering some basic principles for how Episcopalians in Oklahoma might approach our political engagement faithfully.
With all of the uproar this past week over the beginning of the Trump administration, and the strong responses both for and against the sermon by Bishop Budde of Washington at the national prayer service, I want to share some additional thoughts, not as any kind of national statement, or partisan rallying cry, but as your chief pastor, and someone who loves you as a friend and fellow disciple of Jesus Christ (John 13:35).
It is important that the Episcopal Church share our voices in matters of public policy, especially as it relates to the vulnerable. We must not bury our heads in the sand, disinterested in or afraid of speaking to the critical issues of this or any time. Though we are just one small denomination among many religious groups, ours is a valuable perspective based on a long heritage of theological reflection.
At the same time, one of my favorite things about our Anglican tradition is its humility. We have never said that the Anglican Communion or the Episcopal Church are the only way. It is Christ himself who is the Way (John 14:6). We attempt to follow him in our imperfect humanity, knowing that on many things, including politics, Episcopalians do not agree even with each other.
This is my primary concern as your Bishop: how will we navigate this uncertain journey together in the Diocese of Oklahoma?
Will we spend the next four years getting stuck endlessly in partisan social media and cable news outrage that feels righteous in the moment, but is actually the quicksand of hatred and despair? How will we love, protect, and care for all those in our congregations and communities? Can we have grace to show mercy to those who are in need of it, even if we would rather pass by (Luke 10:32)?
As your Bishop, here are my commitments to you in this tense political climate.
As I have said before, I will speak out mainly on matters of direct impact to our diocese and state of Oklahoma, especially affecting the vulnerable, where I see a clear Christian teaching, informed by the Bible and the teachings of the Episcopal Church. A recent example of this was directing our attention to the Department of Justice report on the Tulsa race massacre. Read the statement HERE.
I will not speak out on every issue or controversy, but will attempt prayerfully to discern when my voice and perspective can be useful. I do not expect everyone to agree with what I say or when or how often I say it, and I welcome respectful and direct conversation. Please look to our Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies for more regular statements on national and international matters.
A word to our clergy, my fellow pastors: I trust you to know your own congregations and communities, and how best to shepherd them in these anxious times. I know that some in our congregations are terrified, including some immigrants, LGBTQ+ folks, and others. The clergy canons and I are here for you, and care about you, as you care for your people, each one made in God’s image. You are daily in my prayers.
I encourage all of us to eschew the easy talking points of political ideology and division, and instead speak and act from the heart of our faith. And let us be kind with one another. Are the fruits of the spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control) present, even in difficult conversations?
Can we find, in our diverse congregations and diocese, not uniformity but unity, in Christ? As Bishop Budde said in her sermon: “unity is a way of being with one another that encompasses and respects differences, that teaches us to hold multiple perspectives and life experiences as valid and worthy of respect; that enables us, in our communities and in the halls of power, to genuinely care for one another even when we disagree.”
The theologian of Benedictine spirituality Esther de Waal has written that the Church faces three basic demands of the spiritual life: the need not to run away, the need to be open to change, and the need to listen. In the coming months and years, we in Oklahoma will be tempted to run away from each other, from Christ, and from his Gospel. We will be tempted to harden our viewpoints, our biases, and our hearts. And we will be tempted not to listen to God in daily prayer and Scripture study, nor to our neighbors (including those with whom we disagree).
My friends, God has called us to much good work in our diocese. Enhancing vitality in our congregations. Forming disciples of all ages. Baptizing and confirming the faithful. Inviting our neighbors through evangelism into loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Serving those in need. Living out every promise of the Baptismal Covenant.
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37). Still, we do not lose heart, for we follow the one whose kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), the only leader who is our help and our truest happiness.
The Rt. Reverend Poulson Reed, Bishop
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Previous Statements:
Read Bishop Poulson's 2024 Election Statement HERE.
Read Bishop Poulson's 2020 Election Statement HERE.
