Dr. Charles V. Willie

Dr. Charles Willie, the first black vice president of the House of Deputies and the preacher in 1974, called the ordinations "a holy act of defiance."

Willie was cheered that day when he spoke of justice delayed being justice denied."As blacks refused to participate in their own oppression by going to the back of the bus in 1955 in Montgomery, women are refusing to cooperate by remaining in the periphery of full participation in the church in 1974 in Philadelphia," he said.

Dr. Charles V. Willie, then vice president of the House of Deputies, preached a sermon at the Service of Ordination: "May God bless the harvest of this moment, so that it will be a holy moment in time.
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Dr. Willie later resigned his position to protest the decision of the bishops that the Philadelphia 11 were not validly ordained.
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In his sermon Dr. Willie remembers the philosopher Martin Buber as saying that "human truth can be communicated only if one throws one's self into the process and answers for it with one's self."

The Episcopal Divinity School offers us an essay by Charles Willie, former Vice-President of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church.I reprint here in its entirety:

A Point of No Return for the Episcopal Church in the USABy: Charles Willie
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Charles Willie, past Vice-President of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church and honorary trustee of Episcopal Divinity School, wrote this reflection following the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church.Dr. Willie asked EDS to share this reflection with its distribution lists.This reflection may be reprinted in its entirety, including author information.

A Point of No Return for the Episcopal Church in the USA By: Charles Willie

The Episcopal Divinity School offers us an essay by Charles Willie, former Vice-President of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. * * *

A Point of No Return for the Episcopal Church in the USABy: Charles Willie
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Charles Willie, past Vice-President of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church and honorary trustee of Episcopal Divinity School, wrote this reflection following the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church.Dr. Willie asked EDS to share this reflection with its distribution lists.This reflection may be reprinted in its entirety, including author information.

The preacher was Charles Willie, vice
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Dr. Willie's sermon spoke for many when he said, "I participate in this service today not because I
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On August 18 Dr. Willie resigned his position as Vice President of the House of Deputies in protest of the bishops' statement which he referred to as a "blatant exercise of male arrogance."

20060820 Parable.mp3 - For the Parable For All Ages, Preacher Charles Willie tells a story about an argument between Donnie the devil and Gabriela the angel over whether "faith" is a noun or a verb. [6:07]

Charles Willie, then the vice-president of the House of Deputies, braved considerable criticism in order to preach at the service.In his sermon, Willie declared that there were clear parallels between the civil rights movement and the women's movement in the church.He reminded the congregation that, just "as blacks refused to participate in their own oppression by going to the back of the bus in 1955 in Montgomery," the white women who were being ordained that day were "refusing to cooperate in their own oppression by remaining on the periphery of full participation in the Church."As an African American who recognized both the racism and the sexism practiced by the denomination's white male leadership, Willie vowed to uphold the belief that all people are "priests in the kingdom of God and have a right to fully participate in the affairs of Church and society."15 Pauli Murray, who was also present at the service, expressed a view similar to Willie's.As an African American who recognized both the racism and the sexism practiced by the denomination's white male leadership, Willie vowed to uphold the belief that all people are "priests in the kingdom of God and have a right to fully participate in the affairs of Church and society."15 Pauli Murray, who was also present at the service, expressed a view similar to Willie's.
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15 Charles Willie, quoted in Bozarth-Campbell, Womanpriest, 130-39.

Women reject bishop's action; Charles Willie resigns as vice president of House of Deputies in protest.

Aug: Ecclesiastical charges are filed against the Philadelphia bishops.