James A. Pike who lived from 1913 to 1969 was an early proponent of the ordination of women; in fact, without approval, he ordained a woman to the diaconate. Pike supported racial desegregation and the acceptance of LGBT people in the Church. He was the Bishop of California in The Episcopal Church. He held two law degrees from Yale and a seminary degree from Union Theological Seminary in NYC. Pike invited Martin Luther King Jr. to speak at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco in 1965 following his march to Selma. After his son’s untimely death, Pike became interested in the paranormal,he even tried to reach his late son through psychics. He died in the Israeli desert while researching a book he wanted to write-coincidentally, about Jesus wandering in the desert.
His rented car got stuck and he and his wife Diane tried to walk to safety but were farther away from any community than they realized. While wandering lost in the desert, Pike fell down a steep canyon where he died. Diane found help and survived. Pike was accused of heresy at least 4 times. He didn’t accept the Trinity. He didn’t believe in hell. He openly debunked the so-called Virgin Birth. He was definitely ahead of his time. Pike is included among our saints and spiritual heroes at Sunshine Cathedral.
