HGAAA “clarification” raises more questions

The organization to which Bishop Robert M. Taylor was once a senior bishop, issued what it calls a “clarification” in response to GCMW’s article about Taylor’s connections to them and a gay christian organization.

However, the clarification letter only raised more questions as well as failed to address any specifics noted in our commentary.

In part, an official with Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies in Columbus, OH asserted GCM Watch had made “several erroneous statements regarding the affiliation and connection with Bishop Robert M. Taylor”, but did not specify what those statements were.

Additionally, the HGAAA letter stated that Taylor “is not a member of our Executive Board of Senior Bishops. Additionally, he is not —and has not been for quite sometime— affiliated in any way, shape or form with Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies.” The letter did not specify the time of Bishop Taylor’s departure nor the nature of his departure from HGAAA.

But Bishop Robert Taylor’s current website states his association with HGAAA in the present tense while reinterating his personal relationship with Bishop TD Jakes.

“Under the tutelage of his mentor Bishop T.D. Jakes, Bishop Taylor has soared to greater heights. He serves on the General Board of Bishops of the Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies where the honorable Dr. Sherman S. Watkins Presides.”

While we believe there may be no current association between HGAAA and Bishop Taylor, the past association —and its questions— remain unanswered. Taylor, who participated in the “ordination” of openly lesbian bishop Yvette Flunder, apparently considers himself part of HGAAA despite their claims to the contrary. We believe Taylor was instrumental in the founding of The Fellowship in 2000 and yet held senior positions within HGAAA until just last year.

If HGAAA was concerned with “protecting the integrity of the organization”, why did they not publicly disassociate from Taylor if they are in opposition to his doctrine before the GCM Watch story? Why was Taylor’s name removed from the HGAAA website only after GCM Watch commented on it [google cache of website featuring Taylor’s name as of July 26, 2007]? How did Taylor maintain his leadership status in HGAAA six years after publicly associating with a homosexual affirming religious organization? Why doesn’t HGAAA insist that Taylor stop publicly declaring his association with HGAAA? Why is Taylor accentuating his personal mentoring by Bishop TD Jakes?

Sadly, despite these strong connections and implications, HGAAA chose only to criticize GCM Watch for asking for accountability to the Body of Christ.