Bishop Charles Bennison said he is "extremely concerned" at allegations that the Revs. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk and William Melnyk are promoting pagan worship, but warned against a "witch hunt of any sort."
Conservatives were outraged when Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk, rector of St. Francis-in-the-Fields Church in Sugartown, Pa., sent a "women's Eucharist" that praised "Mother God" with prayers that "may we honor our breasts as symbols of your abundance" to the Women's Ministries office at Episcopal Church headquarters.
When the liturgy was posted on the Web site for the Women's Ministries office, critics said the rites echo pagan worship of the goddess Asherah, the female counterpart to Baal. Church leaders removed the liturgy, citing copyright errors.
"Episcopal Church leaders want you to ... defy God. Worship pagan deities," warned Ted Olsen, online managing editor for Christianity Today, in a weblog. "There is no other possible reading of this `Eucharistic' text."
William Melnyk, the rector of St. James' Church in Downingtown, Pa., is known on druid Web sites as "OakWyse" and "Druis," while his wife is known as "Raven," according to media reports.
David Virtue, who runs the conservative VirtueOnline listserve, found a February posting from Melnyk that said he and his wife "are both priests in the Episcopal (Anglican) Church. Between us, we lead two groves (some call them `congregations') of Christians learning about druidry numbering about 1,200."
Bennison said the couple has "contributed very positively to their parishes and this diocese for four years" and have assured him they do not use the pagan rituals at their churches or in personal prayer. "I will not allow this situation to turn into a witch hunt of any sort," he said.
National church leaders called it a "non-starter of a non-story." The Women's Ministries office said it solicited sample liturgies used by women and said the rites "were sent to us in good faith" and were meant to spark discussion.
"There is quite a difference in presenting resources for people's interest and enlightenment and promoting resources as official claims of the Episcopal Church," the office said.
