A prominent Episcopal bishop ripped off a nun’s collar after she briefly forgot her words during an LGBT-friendly Easter vigil hosted by a drag queen.
Video captured the stunning moment Bishop Alan M. Gates ripped the necklace from Rev. Tamra Tucker’s neck during service at Boston’s St. Paul’s Cathedral Church on March 30.
In the segment, Rev. Tucker, who is the leader of The Crossing, an LGBTQ-inclusive congregation, explained to attendees that they would now “commune” with each other.
“It’s going to be very simple,” the reverend said as she began explaining the ceremony to the audience, made up of several congregations and other Protestant denominations.
Bishop Alan Gates (in white chasuble) ripped the clerical collar from Rev. Tamra Tucker’s neck after Tucker (to Gates’ left) forgot the words of the church service.
“We will allow someone to take their own piece of bread, and you will say this to the person who takes the bread.”
At this point in the video, Reverend Tucker has apparently forgotten the words of the ceremony.
She looked at the bishop, then turned to the crowd and said with raised palms, “Wait, what’s the matter?” I’ve been gone for a while.
Then she seemed to remember these words and said with visible relief: “The body of Christ.”
The reverend smiled and the people standing on the stage behind her laughed.
‘It is very simple. The body of Christ, that’s all you have to do,” Rev. Tucker said.
Moments later, Bishop Gates, who had smiled good-naturedly at her brief gaffe, rushed over and removed the reverend’s clerical collar from his neck.
At first, people burst out laughing at this surprise gesture. A woman at the end of the stage looked at him with her jaw open, and the drag queen clapped.
Reverend Tucker seemed annoyed and Bishop Gates, realizing he had crossed a line, returned the necklace.
“I’m joking,” said the bishop.
“Thank you,” the reverend said as the bishop put his arm around her in apology.
People laughed at first, but shortly after the act, the church was silent and individuals were visibly uncomfortable with the act.
But the church was silent and the other people on the platform seemed uncomfortable.
“Dang,” Reverend Tucker said, stunned by what had just happened.
After the incident, the reverend carried out the ceremony, but her shock seemed to linger.
Bishop Gates’ action, with playful intentions, angered members of the faith.
The Rev. Rita Powell, chaplain of the Harvard Episcopal community, told the Boston Globe: “It was really sad that an occasion that was supposed to be joyful had to be marked by the specter of long-term misogyny that is quite central to the Christianity. , even in a church that feels like it’s past that.
The highest official in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, Bishop Gates, issued a formal apology on April 12, nearly two weeks after the incident. He has led the diocese, which has 180 congregations, since 2014.
Bishop Gates called his action “a totally misguided moment of mischief.”
The penitent bishop observed that Rev. Tucker “had a moment – familiar to any worship leader – in which she dropped the next line.”
The woman on the far right laughed in astonishment, and the drag queen, who was hosting the event, laughed too.
Bishop Gates said removing his clerical collar was “a devastating and humiliating act, which I regret with all my heart.”
The spiritual leader called Rev. Tucker “an esteemed colleague and excellent priest whose leadership I have had the honor of affirming.”
He added that it was “not and never would be” his intention to humiliate the reverend.
“By my action, I abused my authority, failed to extend episcopal grace, and transgressed personal space and boundaries. I am deeply sorry.
Reverend Tucker has yet to speak publicly about the incident and it is unclear whether or not she has accepted his apology.
Tracy J. Sukraw, a spokeswoman for the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, said the bishop was contrite and had contacted the reverend “to express his regrets and seek to make amends.”
The bishop immediately seemed to regret his action. He said he was joking and put his arm around the reverend’s shoulders.
“It was in the lighthearted context of a nontraditional service, but it was inconsiderate, and no one thought it was a good thing to do, including Bishop Gates,” Sukraw said.
“His sincere desire is to apologize and make amends, and that is what he is currently working to do.
Rev. Rita Powell acknowledged that Archbishop Gates’ intention was not to humiliate Rev. Tucker, but that the circumstances of his action made it “an act of symbolic violence.”
The day after the incident, Rev. Jay Williams, who is the senior pastor of Union Combined Parish, where Rev. Tucker’s wife serves as executive pastor, condemned Bishop Gates’ action.
Rev Williams said the incident was an example of “violent patriarchy and sexism”.
The reverend rebuked Gates, saying he had “literally stripped” the reverend “of his clergy collar in public.”
“The bishop tried to say it was a joke and apologize publicly, but it’s not a joke when a man publicly violates a woman’s personal space and symbolically takes away her sign ordination,” fumed the reverend.
The service continued without a hitch after the incident. But the bishop’s action drew serious criticism from other members of the religious community.
The Rev. Karen Coleman, speaking on behalf of the Diocese of Massachusetts’ standing committee, publicly defended the embattled bishop, hailing him as “a conscientious and compassionate pastor and colleague.”
Rev. Coleman said Bishop Gates has been “a consistent supporter and ally of Rev. Tamra Tucker, The Crossing Congregation where she pastors, and groups that are on the fringes.”
In his apology, Bishop Gates said: “I send my remorse and apologies to Rev. Tamra Tucker; to the Crossing community; to the Cathedral community; to other communities present; to the ecumenical companions who joined us at the Vigil; and to those in the Church and wider community whom I have hurt.
“In our baptismal covenant, we commit to “respect the dignity of every human being.” I ask forgiveness for my failure to keep this commitment, and God’s grace to renew this commitment.
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