St. Samuel Seabury- A Complicated Dude

Bishop Samuel Seabury, the First Bishop of The Episcopal Church, had a complicated life, I would imagine. He took an oath of loyalty to the King of England at his ordination to the

priesthood back in England, yet he lived in a land that was trying to break free from the British Imperial rule. Seabury was outspoken in his opposition to American freedom from England. He was a “loyalist.” That fact put him at odds with people with whom he worshipped and worked. It might have even put his life on the line on occasion.

Seabury made his life more complicated, in fact, by writing pamphlets under the pen-name AW Farmer and getting into a kind of "flame-war" with one Alexander Hamilton. When the Continental Congress enacted a boycott on the import and export between the colonies and England, he wrote “Free Thoughts on the Proceedings of the Continental Congress and criticized the rebellion by saying:

“Though the open violator of the laws may escape punishment…. he shall feel the lash of my pen : and he shall feel it again and again, till remorse shall sling his guilty confidence, and shame cover his opprobrious head.”[1]

Whoa. Harsh. Opprobrious, even (I had to look it up. It’s not good).

Hamilton then struck back with - A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress and insisted that theirs was the cause of liberty and opposition to what amounted to slavery:

“No person, that has enjoyed the sweets of liberty, can be insensible of its infinite value, or can reflect on its reverse, without horror and detestation. No person, that is not lost to every generous feeling of humanity, or that is not stupidly blind to his own interest, could bear to offer himself and posterity as victims at the shrine of despotism….” [2]

St. Samuel Seabury eventually went to prison for being loyal to the King and even was chaplain for British troops.

Seabury finally  took the journey back to England and was consecrated Bishop by Scottish bishops not loyal to the crown. When he returned to his new homeland some of his “flock” in the American Episcopal Church were unhappy with the fact that he was “high church” (one who places a high importance on liturgy, vestments, etc) while many of them were “low church” (less emphasis  on liturgy and more on preaching, etc). George Washington would not even reply to letters sent by Seabury. Still, Seabury embraced his new country and was Bishop for all of them.

Being the Church is often complicated, especially when we disagree with each other over important issues and problems. Seabury found himself praying for, delivering sacraments to, and even burying people who once may have considered him their enemy. In order for any of to be the Church after the War for Independence, they all had to see one another as much more than the sum total of their political views. Americans who once bitterly disagreed now had to be  children of God from the same human family.

You too will share Christ’s Body and Blood with people who disagree with you or are different from you. Yet we are all complex people with deeply-held stories that affect our way of seeing the world. God loves us all, so we are challenged to find our way to reflecting that love- especially for one another.

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[1] Seabury, The Rev. Samuel, Free Thoughts on the Proceedings of the Continential Congress, 1775, online: accessed 11.17.17 https://ia800203.us.archive.org/28/items/cihm_20488/cihm_20488.pdf

[2] Hamilton, Alexander, A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress, 1774, online: accessed 11.17.17, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-01-02-0054