It has been said that there is something of the saint and sinner in all of us. We all can make mistakes. Even the Church. In preparation for All Saints Sunday, I went looking for a saint with California ties. I found one, sort of. The Episcopal Church recognizes John Muir as one of our saints on Earth Day, April 22. Muir was the celebrated founder of the Sierra Club and the so-called “Father of the National Parks.” He helped save giant sequoia trees and get Yosemite established as a National Park in 1890. He was a fervent naturalist and beloved champion of wilderness preservation.

But it turns out he made derogatory comments about Black people and Indigenous peoples that drew on deeply harmful racist stereotypes. He hung out with club members who advocated for white supremacy and promoting the race through eugenics, which called for forced sterilization of Blacks and other minority groups.

Though his views evolved later in his life, we must take a nuanced view of our saints. They were people just like us, and they were sinners just like us. They could accomplish great things and could cause harm.

For a list of who the Episcopal Church currently recognizes as "Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints," click here!

 - The Rev. Tom Garrison