BB NOTE: What these five TEC sitting Diocesan Bishops do in this statement (with their unifying voice representing both Anglo Catholics and Evangelicals inside the Episcopal Church) is to make it very clear that Bishop Peter Lee does not speak for all Episcopal bishops or their dioceses or for the entire Episcopal Church. Episcopal Bishops will continue in ministry with Virginia priests
Pittsburgh, PA -- A decision by Bishop Peter Lee of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia to declare 21 priests to have “abandoned the communion of this Church,” will not have force in much of the Anglican Communion or in a number of Episcopal dioceses.
The Rt. Rev. Keith Ackerman of the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy, the Rt. Rev. Peter Beckwith of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield, the Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, the. Rt. Rev. Jack Iker of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and the Rt. Rev. John David Schofield of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin have issued the following statement:
“In conscience we must remain in relationship and ministry with these priests, and the many others who have had this canon used against them, because of their determination to stand with mainstream Anglicanism. As bishops, we ordain priests for the whole church. Surely we overstep our bounds when we attempt to decide for the whole church that a priest’s ministry is ended because he is no longer under our authority.
“Because these Virginia priests are priests in good standing in the Provinces of Uganda and Nigeria, respectively, the deposition is, in fact, of no effect. Each is recognized as a priest in good standing of the Anglican Communion. Therefore, we welcome them to exercise their sacerdotal ministries in our Dioceses. Though we continue to work and pray for a charitable disengagement, actions such as this only make our relationships with each other more difficult and divided.”
7 comments:
In former days, Bishop John Howe of the dio of Central Florida would have been numbered amongst Iker, Beckwith et. al. Where have ye gone, sir?
Here's the statement from the Anglican District of Virginia:
FAIRFAX, Va. (August 2, 2007) – The churches of the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV), an association of Anglican congregations in Virginia, responded to the public announcement made today by the current Episcopal Bishop of Virginia to depose the approximately twenty clergy who have transferred their canonical residency to other branches of the Anglican Communion.
“We are sorry that Bishop Lee would seek to make such a public announcement when the clergy are no longer under his jurisdiction. The clergy he seeks to depose include a bishop-elect in the Province of Uganda, as well as a number of other ordained men and women who have faithfully carried out their pastoral duties as priests in the Church,” said ADV Vice Chairman Jim Oakes.
“This announcement from the Diocese of Virginia is like an employer trying to fire someone who has already quit. Our clergy have remained steadfast in their faith, and have fully embarked on their journey with the worldwide Anglican Communion by joining ADV and the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. We should remember the unanimous message that the Archbishops of the worldwide Anglican Communion made at their February meeting in Tanzania clearly expressing that it is the Episcopal Church that is out of step not only with us, but with the majority of Anglicans around the globe,” Mr. Oakes said.
After nearly a year of conversation with the bishop and his representatives in the Diocese of Virginia, the Bishop of Virginia endorsed the Diocese of Virginia Protocol for Departing Churches, providing a pastoral and charitable way for congregations to vote their conscience and remain Anglican, including the clergy.
“We were shocked when the bishop suddenly cut off negotiations following the vote and inhibited our clergy. But we must remember that he does not have the authority to depose clergy that are no longer under his jurisdiction. In spite of these continued acts of intimidation, ADV churches continue to move forward serving Christ by proclaiming His gospel, supporting and strengthening families, and serving communities at home and abroad,” Mr. Oakes said.
ADV members are in full communion with constituent members of the Anglican Communion through its affiliation with CANA, a missionary branch of the Church of Nigeria. ADV members are a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a community of 77 million people. ADV is dedicated to fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission to make disciples while actively serving in three main capacities: International Ministries, Evangelism, and Strengthening Families and Community. ADV is currently comprised of 19 member congregations, 15 of which are under the ecclesiastical authority of the Bishop of CANA, The Right Reverend Martyn Minns, and four of which are ecclesiastical members under direct authority of other Anglican Archbishops, strongly supported by ADV members.
What part of "letters dimissory" don't you understand. Bp Lee is perfectly operating under his rights in canon law. These priests have been defrocked and can not really minister in the TEC, under canon law, despite what the network Bishops have to say about it.
If there is no point in letters dimissory, then there's really no point in the episcopate. You might just as well be congregationalists.
As for Bishop Howe, he's the only one of the bunch with any integrity and isn't going to violate canon laws or steal church property either, no matter how just the cause may be. And to think he was rector of Truro.
re:he's the only one of the bunch with any integrity and isn't going to violate canon laws
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahahah ...
Oh my. well Anon, integrity?
How is it +Lee was in communion with CofN last October when he licensed +Minns as 'priest-in-charge" but not in January when the request for transfer came in, these canon laws seem very subjective, then I guess if one reads Scripture as it fits to your desires for a relative situation you'll do the same for canon law.
So if there no point to Scripture or canon law, I guess you might as well be a rotary club.
Can someone explain what it means for Bishop Iker to welcome Rev. Kathleen Christopher to "exercise [her] sacerdotal ministr[y]" in the Diocese of Ft. Worth???
Here indeed are true apostles. God bless them! With such shepherds of souls in TEC there is still hope. With such men who instruct in Truth, our souls stand to fare better when Christ comes to judge, as He surely will.
Anon above, I'd call it generosity.
bb
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