Apology and Public Statement from Bishop Alex Farmer re: his January 28 Sermon

The Rt. Rev. Charles Alexander Farmer, Bishop of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, has made the following apology and statement regarding his sermon from January 28, 2024.

Greetings to the faithful people of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, and anyone in the wider church who might be listening to this message.

I want you to know that I have privately apologized to Fr. Calvin Robinson for the comments I made about him. And I also thought it was important for me to apologize publicly to people in the Gulf Atlantic Diocese who have been harmed or hurt by the things I’ve said, and also the way I’ve caused harm in the wider Body of Christ.

I was wrong to talk about Calvin Robinson in my sermon on January 28 at St. Andrew’s, Douglas, GA. I am sorry for the way I questioned the spirit behind his motivations. That was improper of me, and especially in the context inappropriate. I am deeply sorry for the harm that this has caused to the wider Body of Christ.

I want to say emphatically that I consider Fr. Robinson to be a brother in Christ, and I am thankful for the work he’s doing to build up Christ’s kingdom in this world. And, again, I don’t want my actions to be a distraction from the work of the Gospel.

It’s my hope that we can move forward—as we look at World Missions Sunday—that we can refocus on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, that every tribe, tongue, and nation would hear the glorious Good News of Christ.