There are some who may wonder how something like this could happen? How could men of God get to this point? I thought we were to come let us reason together.
In Matthew 18:15-18, we are told how to handle conflict, not only does it tell us to go to him, it also instructs us when that brother or sister will not hear. This meets all three steps or phases of biblical conflict resolution. Justice Saffold, after repeatedly going to his brothers as the bible instructs,
Matthew 18:15–18 (NKJV)
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
[The following was copied from pages 6 and 7 of Justice Saffold’s petition]
“Repeated attempts to reconcile this conflict of interest with Chief Justice Johnson have been made pursuant to our biblical mandate, including the following:
- A Memorandum dated April 2, 2019 requesting that the Board address two (2) integrity/conflict of interest issues before taking any action in the Appellant’s case6;
- A “Demand & Order for Recusal”, dated April 9, 2019, specifically detailing conflict of interest and breach of professional responsibility issues7;
- Failed attempts to discuss the conflicts in telephone calls and conferences because it was not included as a specific agenda item (Explanation: not old business because never discussed; not new business because must be on the agenda to discuss);
- Failed attempt to discuss in an official meeting during April call (refused to place the matter on the agenda); and
- Attempt to resolve in a private meeting private meeting with Justices King, Perry, Davis and Johnson.
Chief Justice Johnson has refused to address, discuss or resolve the conflict in every attempt made by Petitioner to bring this matter to a peaceful close. In the third phase of Biblical resolutions of conflicts between brothers, Matthew 18:17 reads “17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church:”. We are currently in this third phase of resolution, as Chief Justice Johnson has “neglected to hear them.”
Moreover, Chief Justice Johnson threatened to have an Associate Justice and fellow Bishop removed from a meeting of the Judiciary Board by security for any further attempt to discuss, reveal or disclose the conflict prior to the final vote and disposition of the Appellant’s case in that same meeting. The record and Final Order in the Appellant’s case will confirm that Justice E. Charles Connor abstained from voting and removed himself from chambers because he deemed the official vote to be flawed, illegal and an embodiment of Judicial Misconduct pursuant to Article VIII of the Constitution.8 “