OPEN LETTER: Remove Stanley Hauerwas from RADVOCO speakers list

The prominent theologian is not suited to address individuals considering Holy Orders within the Anglican/Episcopal tradition.

Logan M. Isaac
Sep 6, 2018 · 4 min read

The Radical Vocation conference (RADVOCO) is a September 20–22, 2018 event for individuals “interested in learning more about the ancient order of the priesthood as a 21st Century calling.” Stanley Hauerwas is the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor Emeritus of Divinity and Law at Duke University.

On August 31st, I sent the following correspondence to the event’s organizers (Communion Partners), venue (Church of the Incarnation), and host (Episcopal Diocese of Dallas). Copies were also sent to the Offices of the Presiding Bishop in the United States (Michael Curry) and the Archbishop of Canterbury (Justin Welby), who will both be in attendance. Any links here were not in the original correspondence and are included as reference points for the average reader on this post.


I am contacting you as a communicant in good standing of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States to request that Stanley Hauerwas be removed from the speakers list for the September RADVO Conference. He is currently scheduled to speak Thursday, September 20th at 6pm.

On May 22, 2016 I reached out to Hauerwas “in the spirit of Matthew 18,” following multiple public statements by him which dehumanized myself and other members of the military. On June 15 and July 25 he and I met on campus at Duke University, where we were both teaching at the time, with the stated goal of reconciliation. The fruit of these two meetings was an agreement to “co-teach” a course on the virtues of military formation. After developing the course together, on November 3, 2016, Hauerwas demanded an exchange of favors from me [audio here], which would have substantially reduced student enrollment and, consequently, the likelihood of that course being taught again. His demand was coercive, including an explicit condition which an ordinarily prudent person would have known carried substantial risk to my future employment as a whole. Another faculty member has told me I likely have been “blacklisted” from doctoral programs for reporting the abuse, which effectively has denied me the opportunity to pursue a career in my profession of choice.

In January, 2017 I involved my priest, the Reverend Karen Barfield, who convened several members of Saint Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Durham, NC to serve as a small discussion group to discern steps forward. As a result of that discernment process, I contacted Hauerwas’ priest, the Reverend Clarke French on July 29, 2017, asking for a mediated conversation in the continued hope of reconciliation. Rev. French relayed to me that Hauerwas was “unwilling” to meet. The week of August 5, 2017, I was referred to Bishop Suffragan Anne Hodges-Copple via the pastoral response team, as she was the acting Diocesan Bishop at the time, who expressed similar concerns about Hauerwas’ behavior and indicated that others have had comparable complaints. The current Diocesan Bishop, Sam Rodman, was involved starting on February 20, 2018 and he continues to impress upon Hauerwas my request for a mediated conversation. The fruit of those efforts are unknown to me.

This is ecclesiastically significant because the requirements of the Eucharist, outlined explicitly in the Anglican Catechism, include self-examination, repentance, and living in love and charity with others, two of which Hauerwas has refused to display toward fellow Communicants. This is also significant because the exchange of favors that Hauerwas demanded is a secular crime. Because Hauerwas and I were each employed by a “program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,” his actions also reflect the crime of intimidation as described by 18 USC § 245 (b)(4). Furthermore, as a disabled combat veteran, I am protected by other federal laws which this behavior violates, including, but not limited to, the following

  • Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment & Assistance Act of 1974
  • Sections 503 & 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  • Title I & II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Hauerwas’ behavior has trivialized our tradition & doctrine time and time again, and has himself directly undermined the exclesiastical authority with which priests are divinely ordained; neither the Holy Orders of two parish priests nor two diocesan bishops have yet proven sufficient to compel him to reflect the qualities of membership in the Anglican communion by being reconciled to a person against whom he had abused his power and influence. Furthermore, this contrasts sharply with Archbishop Justin Welby’s stated priority of reconciliation.

There are plenty of platforms and events which he is uniquely qualified to address, especially within the academic arena, but a gathering to celebrate and inspire the next generation of priests is no such venue. I must insist on a response in writing, given the short amount of time left before the event. If no reply is given to this private correspondence, or indicated by email prior to 11:59pm on Wednesday, September 5th, it will be converted to an “open letter” that I will share with journalists as well as the general public. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your considered response, or an indication that one is pending.

*The offices of Archbishop of Canterbury and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry were the only recipients to respond.

Logan M. Isaac

Written by

Veteran Author, Advocate, & Entrepreneur. My real passion is education; I love to teach almost as much as I love to learn. Founder, @CenturionsGuild & @PewPewHQ

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