The case for our next bishop to be a one-termer

There's an old saying in the Vatican:  "You follow a fat Pope with a skinny one."

Our current Rocky Mountain synod bishop, Allan Bjornberg, has been in office since 1994.  He's served three six-year terms, and would be able to run for a fourth, if that's what he wanted to do, because the Rocky Mountain Synod has no terms limits for the office of bishop.  Some synods do; we do not.

Three years ago or so, some people made some noise about proposing a constitutional amendment to limit terms.  It didn't get very far because nobody wanted Bishop Bjornberg to think it was directed at him.  The people who were tinkering with the idea wound up abandoning it because they didn't want to run the risk of hurting his feelings.

My guess is that Bishop Bjornberg would be among the first to say that three six-year terms is too many.  Furthermore, there's no reason our next bishop won't be a three-termer, or even perhaps more than that.  

Bishops are almost always re-elected--not absolutely always, but that's the way to bet.  The reason is because lay people want to be supportive of their bishop, especially those who participate in synod activities and elections, and pastors tend to be supportive as well.  The bishop, after all, can make your life fairly miserable if he or she happened to get a bee in his or her bonnet regarding your sorry self.

If the next bishop were to serve three terms, that would mean that our synod would have had only two bishops in 36 years.  Continuity has its benefits, but, on the other hand, there are undoubtedly others--likely several others--whose service would have been an asset to the synod.  

With term limits--and shorter terms--the assets and talents of a wider variety of people could be employed for the benefit of our churches and people.

If our next bishop were a one-termer, term limits and shorter terms could be proposed and passed during his or her one term.  Follow a fat Pope with a skinny one?  Let's do something like it.  Let's follow a three-term bishop with a one-term one, and use that opportunity to pass term limits. 

 

 

Comments

[tvgunten]

well said, John...
and that's not just sucking up - haha.
But this remarks comes from the exiled so it doesn't make a bean's worth of difference.

[John Petty]

It doesn't make much difference to me either.

[Monte Stevens]

We would like to consider term limits int he Southern Ohio Synod. Do have template for doing do? We don't want to re-create the wheel. Anything you could offer would be gratefully appreciated.

Peace, Pastor Monte Stevens

[John Petty]

I'm in favor of it, but we in the Rocky Mountain synod never done it. The main reason is probably because the sitting bishop might consider it a swipe at them and people don't really want to go there!