Dennis Genpo Merzel steps back up?

Adam Tebbe at Sweeping Zen groans over this latest bit of news from Kanzeon Zen Center:

Since some Kanzeon members and others outside the Kanzeon community have objected to Genpo Roshi’s continuing to teach at the Center, and income from Big Mind has also decreased, and even though he is donating the proceeds from events outside the Center to Kanzeon, he is no longer able to support it to the extent that he has in the past.  As a result, the Board has regretfully concluded that in order to survive Kanzeon must sell off its properties in Salt Lake City.

Kanzeon will make every effort to support Taido Sensei [who will step in to take Genpo’s place as full-time teacher at the Zen Center] until the properties are sold, and will then donate a very substantial portion of the proceeds of the sale to his new organization so that he can continue to teach and those members of the community who wish to study with him can continue to do so in Salt Lake City.  The sale will also allow Kanzeon to pay off its obligations and sustain  its existence, with Genpo Roshi continuing as its Abbot, out
side Salt Lake City at Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Genpo Roshi will continue to teach all those who wish to study from him.

In other words, you could be forgiven for thinking that Genpo Roshi disrobing didn’t mean all that much. Read the whole note on Kanzeon’s site.