Eighteen months after allegations surfaced concerning Episcopal Bishop Prince Singh, he has been suspended and the complaints have been ‘ resolved.‘ The Embattled Bishop’s adult sons claimed that their father was guilty of alcoholism as well as physical and emotional abuse. In addition, there is a bevy of allegations connected to his divorce.
Prince Singh, who resigned in March, was the former provisional bishop of the dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan. He has been suspended from ministry for an additional three years. These were the terms he reached with Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe. There were a total of two complaints, including allegations that he misused Title IV, which is the Episcopal Church’s process for handling clergy misconduct.
While Singh continues to dispute the allegations, this officially resolves the complaints. The terms were approved by the Disciplinary Board for Bishops, a church tribunal consisting of 10 bishops, six other clergy, and six lay people. In addition to his family troubles the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester where Singh previously served, said he misused Title IV and was guilty of engaging in vindictiveness and public shaming.
“My goal in negotiating this accord with Bishop Singh has been to achieve Title IV’s goals by identifying paths for him to be accountable, to amend his life, and then to seek reconciliation with his family and his former diocese if and when they are willing to do so,” Rowe sent in an email to church members. “I also expect him to repair his relationships with his colleagues in the House of Bishops.”
Singh’s lawyer reiterated that Singh denies the allegations, but he consents to the accord’s terms and commits to seeing them through. “In particular, Bishop Singh deeply regrets the pain suffered by his sons and former spouse and is pledged to pursue reconciliation and healing with them,” a statement said. However, some were displeased with how the situation was resolved.
RNS reports that Nivedhan Singh, the embattled bishop’s son, voiced concerns about how the scandal was resolved, calling the outcome “a tragic conclusion to what has been a deeply painful and retraumatizing process.“ Despite the Episcopal Church’s well-thought-out Title IV process, this Accord highlights significant shortcomings when the Presiding Bishop exercises unilateral authority to override the findings of earlier investigative panels,” he wrote.
An informal panel which looked into Prince Singh’s actions, found he “engaged in persistent and ongoing physical violence directed at each of his sons” and in “serious deceptive behavior in the Church for his benefit.” according to the proposed order. The group also said the former Bishop violated church canons and continued to deny the allegations.
His sons are worried that reconciliation cannot occur with someone who denies the allegations against him. “This Accord sends a dangerous message: that even when clergy are found to have abused their power, lied to their superiors, and harmed their families and communities, the Church’s priority is to rehabilitate the abuser, not protect the victims,” one of his sons wrote. Even without admitting fault Singh will be able to renter Church work in 3 years.