GC2006 : COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak resolution by HOB
COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak resolution by HOB
June 21, 2006
TO THE FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD:
We, the undersigned, Bishops of the Episcopal Church make the following statement:
In the wake of the action by this House granting consent to the consecration of Canon V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, many of us in this House made an appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates of the Anglican Communion "to intervene in the pastoral emergency that has overtaken us." That appeal was heard and the Archbishop called for an extraordinary meeting of the Primates on 15–16 October, 2003.
The Primates spoke forthrightly and unanimously about the consequences that would ensue across the Communion in the event that the consecration went forward, warning that it would "tear the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level." They also called for the formation, under a mandate given by the Archbishop, of the Lambeth Commission on Communion. This General Convention has now given its response to the recommendations of the work of that Commission, known as the Windsor Report.
Now, once again, we find the need to speak candidly. The responses which the Convention has given to the clear and simple requests of the Lambeth Commission, the clear and simple requests indeed of the Anglican Communion, are clearly and simply inadequate. We reaffirm our conviction that the Windsor Report provides the way forward for the entire Anglican Communion, the ecumenical relationships of the Communion, and the common life of a faithful Episcopal Church. Further, we have agreed to submit ourselves to the Windsor Report's requirements, both in what it teaches and in the discipline it enjoins. We have not changed in our commitment.
Sadly, because of statements made by members of this House at this Convention, we must question whether this General Convention is misleading the rest of the Communion by giving a false perception that they intend actually to comply with the recommendations of the Windsor Report. We therefore disassociate ourselves from those acts of this Convention that do not fully comply with the Windsor Report.
It is our intention not only to point to the inadequacies of the General Convention's responses, but to declare to our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the Communion that we continue as The Episcopal Church in this country who uphold and propagate the historic faith and order we have come to know through the Anglican heritage of apostolic teaching and biblical faith; who desire to be fully a constituent member of the Anglican Communion; and who are ready to embrace and live under the Windsor Report without equivocation.
Accordingly, we repudiate the actions of the General Convention of 2003 which have breached the bonds of affection within the Communion. We bishops have committed to withhold consents for any persons living in same gender relationships who may be put forward for consecration as a bishop of the Church. And we have refused to grant authority for the blessing of sexual relationships outside Christian Marriage in our jurisdictions. We intend to go forward in the Communion confidently and unreservedly.
Our chief concern now is to fulfill our charge as bishops of the Church of God in the Anglican tradition to "guard the faith, unity and discipline" of the Church. Pastoral care and apostolic teaching must not only be given to our own dioceses, but to all the faithful in this country who seek apostolic oversight and support. We will take counsel together to fulfill our service on behalf of faithful Anglicans in this country, both clergy and laity, and to proclaim the Gospel and build up the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we seek the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates and Bishops of the Anglican Communion as we do so.
Signed
The Rt. Rev. Keith Lynn Ackerman, Diocese of Quincy
The Rt. Rev. James M. Adams Jr., Diocese of Western Kansas
The Rt. Rev. Peter H. Beckwith, Diocese of Springfield
The Rt. Rev. Robert Wm. Duncan, Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Rt. Rev. Daniel W. Herzog, Diocese of Albany
The Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker, DD, Diocese of Fort Worth
The Rt. Rev. Edward L. Salmon, Jr., Diocese of South Carolina*
The Rt. Rev. John-David Schofield, Diocese of San Joaquin
The Rt. Rev. James M. Stanton, Diocese of Dallas*
The Rt. Rev. Henry W. Scriven, Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Rt. Rev. William J. Skilton, Diocese of South Carolina
The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison, Retired
The Rt. Rev. William J. Cox, Retired
The Rt. Rev. Alex D. Dickson, Retired
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
* Drafters of the original statement
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Note: It is anticipated that other bishops will add their support to this statement. Please check the Network website (www.acn-us.org) for the most up-to-date list of signatories.
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| Poster | Thread |
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| MichaelA | Posted: 2006/6/21 23:50 Updated: 2006/6/21 23:50 |
Home away from home   Joined: 2006/5/29 From: Posts: 869 |
 Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak rInteresting. Nothing is said about a female bishop or presiding bishop. Nevertheless, it is a strong statement on certain issues, and a Good Thing (apologies to Sellar and Yeatman)
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| Frcorny | Posted: 2006/6/21 23:51 Updated: 2006/6/21 23:51 |
Quite a regular  Joined: 2005/2/20 From: Holy Cross, Warrensburgh, NY Posts: 66 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r The fat's in the fire, now, troops. It looks like Fort Worth is going to have some company. I have maintained all along that there WILL be Orthodoxy AND Anglican worship in this country and that it will be unified. After the smoke clears this latest effort by Satan to imperil souls and kill a church will fail. And an orthodox,Anglican church will have been tempered and ready to be weilded by God for His service.
Amen. |
| Hokie92 | Posted: 2006/6/22 0:23 Updated: 2006/6/22 0:23 |
Just popping in  Joined: 2006/6/21 From: Virginia Posts: 7 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r The Orthodox Bishops hit the nail on the head here. There is no real reason to bring up the issue JS is a woman. As Bishop Duncan said, paraphrasing, its not that she's a woman but that she believes in things she does.
The "requirement" for GC2006 was to adequately respond to the Windsor Report. I'd say TEC struck out badly. |
| Isaac | Posted: 2006/6/22 0:30 Updated: 2006/6/22 0:30 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2004/3/1 From: Texas Posts: 595 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r I expect that Retired Bishop of Texas Maurice "Ben" Benitez will sign the statement, but I wonder what current Texas Bishop Don Wimberly will do. We will now see what he is made of.
Isaac Arnold St. John the Divine Houston |
| tinpipes | Posted: 2006/6/22 0:51 Updated: 2006/6/22 0:51 |
Not too shy to talk   Joined: 2004/3/23 From: way South Posts: 38 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r Many of us in the hinterlands hope that Howe and Steenson add their signatures to the ACN statement.
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| Zonaras | Posted: 2006/6/22 0:55 Updated: 2006/6/22 0:55 |
Home away from home Joined: 2005/9/30 From: Posts: 212 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r I'LL say it again. Anglanism and and Orthodoxy are contradiction in terms. Only the Eastern Orthodox Church has the right to use the term despite protestations to the contrary. Much of what would would be considered right thinkin to most Anglicans would be considered as unorthodox by the EOC. The EOC believes she has an exclusive right to the term and that salvation is possible only through her. BTW, I belong to ECUSA and I am speaking as a former memeber of the EOC.
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| dalebrown | Posted: 2006/6/22 1:14 Updated: 2006/6/22 1:16 |
Just popping in Joined: 2006/6/22 From: Posts: 2 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r So what does this mean practically? Are these Bishops going to stay in broader "TEC" like some of the other "global" members of the TEC? I mean really...I did not see anything that was hopeful in this. Maybe I am wrong I hope so, but it seems to me that those Orthodox Bishops in the TEC are perfectly fine with getting together every few years to moan and groan about how horrible its actions are with NO ACTION. I pray this year is different.
It is time to either embrace the overarching agenda of the TEC: 1. Approving and blessing Same-sex marriage, and any other marriage that becomes popular in culture. 2. Voting down the approval of the statement that Christ is the only name under heaven by which man can be saved. 3. Voting the bible to be oppressive. 4. Expressing the feminine side of Jesus. 5. Converging the Spirit of this Age with the Spirit of Christ. Or Walk away, remain faithful, and watch the Anglican Church flourish again in the U.S. as we get about the business of the Church. As we say down in Georgia, "its time to fish or cut bait!" I have just one thing to say to the Good Bishops who signed that declaration, PLEASE DO SOMETHING! I am tired of "listening" to all the rhetoric and politicking on both sides. If you are going to do something to change the face of Anglicanism in America then do it. Do not stay with the status quo. Pax, Br. Dale |
| Spurrier | Posted: 2006/6/22 1:23 Updated: 2006/6/22 1:24 |
Just popping in Joined: 2004/10/23 From: Posts: 7 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r I have always thought that General Convention is designed to get nothing done. Too much time at the microphone for too many people with too much time on their hands with too many agendas. Therefore too little time to troubleshoot and process.
As for signing, I wonder why John Howe did not sign. Ben Benitez not signing is a mystery as well. As for Don Wimberly, I believe he thinks that propogating the Gospel through evengelism is more important than lobbing dead cats over the wall. He will not get involved. After all, he is the diocesan bishop of one of the more powerful, if not the most powerful and affluent diocese in TEC (I already miss ECUSA) |
| Damascus | Posted: 2006/6/22 1:27 Updated: 2006/6/22 1:27 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2004/9/26 From: Republic of Karelia Posts: 640 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r What happens is going to come down to a couple of factors. The first is going to be whether the above listed bishops are willing to do something other than formulate press releases. What price are they willing to pay to distance themselves from ECUSA's apostasy? Are they willing to risk their properties and endowments? As long as the orthodox care more about Mammon than they do about doing what is right, this movement will go nowhere.
How can you expect a nominally orthodox guy like Don Wimberly to take a stand if those bishops in solidly orthodox diocese are dithering about? For the fence-sitters to consider making a move they have to be convinced that this thing is going to work. Why give up the security of the church pension system to be associated with some splinter group that will quickly fade away? All of the Network diocese have to make a decision to go together. Ten or twelve diocese leaving at once will at least create a substantial base from which to build a new church. You have to expect that the orthodox leaning but weakly committed diocese, such as Texas, are going to take a wait and see attitude. But if nobody makes the first move, they are going to wait forever and by the time anything happens the orthodox will have long since moved on. There has to be a D-Day. You can plan the invasion for years, but at some point in time you have to say on this date, we go. We're equipped as well as we are going to be, we are trained as well as we are going to be, the weather and tides are as good as they are going to be. We go now. It would be nice if we got some encouragement from Rowan Williams and the rest of the Anglican Communion, but with it or without it, we have to go now. The Global South primates cannot fight this battle for us. They can perhaps give us moral support and legitimacy, but this is something that the orthodox are going to have to do for themselves. The reason why previous continuing movements have not gone very far is that parishes drifted off piecemeal. This really needs to be a big bang. We have orthodox individuals in revisionist or just plain clueless parishes, we have orthodox parishes in apostate diocese, we have orthodox diocese with orthodox bishops leading them, we have a couple of orthodox seminaries. We have everything required to pull this off, we only need the faith and the will to do it. I would not wait for the end of July to get together and hash this out. The Network needs to make some statement of its general intentions within a week or two. Rowan Williams is not going to throw ECUSA overboard until he is forced to. The Network has to present him with a stark choice to make. There is no way of knowing where he will come down but there is one thing for certain, being in communion with the See of Canterbury is a luxury and not a necessity. We will find our friends among those who believe as we do. Perhaps that will include the Church of England and perhaps it will not. There are enough people in the Anglican Communion who share our world view that we will land somewhere. We only need to trust that God will provide. |
| OtisPage | Posted: 2006/6/22 1:28 Updated: 2006/6/22 1:28 |
Home away from home Joined: 2004/1/4 From: Posts: 667 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r It is done! The rejection of TEC by the Anglican Communion is the only resolve if it is to survive.
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| gbull72 | Posted: 2006/6/22 1:51 Updated: 2006/6/22 1:51 |
Just popping in Joined: 2006/6/21 From: Beaver, PA Posts: 3 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r I am with you Damascus. If it were not for Duncan as my bishop, I would regretfully be somewhere other than in an Episcopal congregation.
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| eagle1 | Posted: 2006/6/22 1:53 Updated: 2006/6/22 1:53 |
Just popping in Joined: 2006/6/22 From: Posts: 1 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r This entire blog dialog of the enire week could be summed up with the final words of Damascus "We only need to trust that God will provide".
He will provide if we have the courage to stand up for Him. Friends, Christ made the supreme sacrifice for us on the cross. NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO SACRIFICE FOR HIM!!!! |
| ejsteele | Posted: 2006/6/22 2:03 Updated: 2006/6/22 2:03 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2004/10/18 From: Posts: 347 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r "We therefore disassociate ourselves from those acts of this Convention that do not fully comply with the Windsor Report."
 Okay, I am admittedly a cynic so I am not as hopeful as others. But even if I were hopeful, the above statement says the bishops only "disassociate themselves from the acts of the Convention". It doesn't say anything about how they view themselves in relation to the heretics who put those acts in place. It seems the orthodox are content to remain in the TEC, still waiting for Canterbury to come by and tap them to be the "official" Anglican group in America. Well I wouldn't hold my breath... +Ed Steele Traditional Church of England |
| frjude | Posted: 2006/6/22 3:16 Updated: 2006/6/22 3:16 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2005/1/9 From: Heartland Posts: 277 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r Where, oh where, is John Howe's signature? Hmmm...he must be unavailable, as he's in a 'deeper place'.
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| Cennydd | Posted: 2006/6/22 3:30 Updated: 2006/6/22 3:34 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2005/10/30 From: Los Banos, CA, Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin Posts: 6684 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r Frcorny, you and I agree. Bishop Iker and his diocese have shown us the way. My bishop, +John-David Schofield will be meeting soon with our Standing Committee to discuss the situation, and I believe this means that we will follow the action of the Diocese of Fort Worth. I also expect that others may follow their example.
What action the rest of the Network might take is unknown, but I remind all that the Network has the framework already in place for a new province. That's why I say that we need to show some patience and forbearance until some real action takes place! I'd much rather we let the bishops exercise care and caution, instead of having them go off half-cocked and doing something without giving it more thought. I too want to be shed of ECUSA, but let's do it right! Cennydd |
| spbarrett | Posted: 2006/6/22 3:38 Updated: 2006/6/22 3:38 |
Just popping in Joined: 2006/6/19 From: Hippie Valley, W. Mass. Posts: 17 |
 Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r Instead of a letter of disgust which the new horde of barbarians will only toss into their circular files, why not a plain declaration of independence or a newer version of Luther's 95 and bang 'em on "bishop" Schori's head diocesan church. You don't think she really merits a real cathedral??? |
| CalAggie | Posted: 2006/6/22 6:18 Updated: 2006/6/22 6:18 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2006/4/9 From: Davis, CA Posts: 156 |
 Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak rWhat happens to conservative parishoners that are in liberal parishes or in dioceses that have many liberal parishes. If this new church is sown, will the ECUSA let it move into their dioceses? And will the ECUSA create new dioceses to replace the ones that have left? I'm so confused right now... My parish is a liberal one, but I cannot lie, I feel God there. I love the people, its very close to where I live, and I was asked if I wanted to lead the Campus Ministry next year for students. I've disassociated myself with the national church, but a more difficult task is what I do about my parish. My prayers go out to all of you who are in similair positions.
Bob Dylan's song "When the Ship Comes In" has always been a rousing, uplifting song for me when I would get saddened by revisionist activities. These last two verses are especially bold. Oh the foes will rise With the sleep still in their eyes And they'll jerk from their beds and think they're dreamin'. But they'll pinch themselves and squeal And know that it's for real, The hour when the ship comes in. Then they'll raise their hands, Sayin' we'll meet all your demands, But we'll shout from the bow your days are numbered. And like Pharaoh's tribe, They'll be drownded in the tide, And like Goliath, they'll be conquered. |
| drcribbage | Posted: 2006/6/22 6:46 Updated: 2006/6/22 6:46 |
Not too shy to talk Joined: 2006/3/3 From: Posts: 39 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r This is yet another joke written by fools who call themselves "orthodox and conservative."
What have they ever done for the Christian Faith? Why did they allow ANY of this to happen (the gay/feminist agenda)? They only care about their pay and pensions -- like all political hack cronies! The gay/feminist agenda has been around for over 30 years, and they all feed off of it to help their idiotic careers as "clergy and shepherds" of ecusa. God will judge them soon enough! |
| MichaelA | Posted: 2006/6/22 7:24 Updated: 2006/6/22 7:24 |
Home away from home Joined: 2006/5/29 From: Posts: 869 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r "It would be nice if we got some encouragement from Rowan Williams and the rest of the Anglican Communion, but with it or without it, we have to go now. The Global South primates cannot fight this battle for us. They can perhaps give us moral support and legitimacy, but this is something that the orthodox are going to have to do for themselves. The reason why previous continuing movements have not gone very far is that parishes drifted off piecemeal. This really needs to be a big bang. We have orthodox individuals in revisionist or just plain clueless parishes, we have orthodox parishes in apostate diocese, we have orthodox diocese with orthodox bishops leading them, we have a couple of orthodox seminaries. We have everything required to pull this off, we only need the faith and the will to do it."
Wise words from Damascus. A number of people have asked "Where is Akinola?" over recent weeks. Others have considered whether ACB is going to do anything. But in the end, what happens is largely in YOUR hands. There is a lot of help available: Several Primates have shown that they are prepared to accept the oversight of American orthodox congregations. Archbishop Akinola has gone further and entered into a formal Concordat with long-separated groups such as REC, APA and UECNA - the seeds of future coalescing and unity are already being sown. Importantly, by accepting the oversight of a foreign Primate, you remain in the Anglican communion, unlike the 1977 movement which had no focus and rapidly split into many parts. Those churches which have sought Orombi's oversight, those who have sought Nzimbi's, or Venables, etc are all in communion with each other, because all of those Primates support and accept each other. The first step is for you and your congregation (and your entire diocese if that is possible!) to align yourself with faithful Anglicans. Make enquiries with the foreign primates; have dialogue with those churches that have separated from ECUSA; ask them how it is working; see what help they can extend to you. I expect your congregation (or better still, your diocese) will find that it is easier than they think to seek the oversight of a *courageous* Primate or Archbishop who is in good standing with the faithful of the Anglican Communion - there are many to choose from. I say *courageous* because we are now in a time where to be orthodox is not enough - one must have the courage to stand for it. Many of the foreign primates face death with their flock on a regular basis, so they understand this truth better than we do. This step will take time to arrange and, make no doubt about it, it requires the active input of the Laity to make it work! There will be a lot talking at the congregational and diocesan level - why are we doing this, what will the consequences be, what fears do people have? etc. But start moving towards oversight from godly people and the rest will follow. The second step is to cut ties with ECUSA. That is a fearful step, with the prospect of law suits. It will be easier as a diocese. Or alternatively, one could simply cease to have any further contact or communication with ECUSA, throw their letters in the bin etc, and just communicate with the new diocese. Thirdly, continue to work as a faithful congregation - preach the Word, minister to the broken-hearted, seek fellowship with like-minded congregations, engage in Mission work. That sounds "boring" but it is the thing the Devil fears most. The fourth step, I believe is going to happen in the next few years: Just as Akinola has entered into Concordat with formerly separated groups such as REC, UECNA and APA, I suspect that he and other Primates intend to make similar moves among all faithful Anglican churches, including those coming out of ECUSA, to bring them together. There is actually a lot more common ground than there are differences. I suspect that just as Anglo-Catholic APA has been happy to co-operate with the Reformed Episcopals and Akinola, so many other anglo-catholic and calvinist anglican churches will find they can in fact come together in the same communion. The question is, do you want to be in it, or not? If you do, you have to start to make moves, and so does your congregation. |
| warmac9999 | Posted: 2006/6/22 10:19 Updated: 2006/6/22 10:19 |
Home away from home Joined: 2004/2/16 From: Posts: 1447 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r The ultimately important point here is just how many attend church in these diocese on an average Sunday - as that gives everyone in the Anglican Communion a good idea of what percentage of the ECUSA is going to bolt and how much money and people are involved. There was very little said about Bishop Lee of Virginia, who runs the largest diocese in the ecusa. Lee's three largest churches are evangelical and I suspect that they will walk away shortly either with or without Lee.
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| sentinel | Posted: 2006/6/22 12:12 Updated: 2006/6/22 12:12 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2006/6/11 From: Posts: 261 |
Re: COLUMBUS, OH: Orthodox Bishops express disgust at weak r Quote:
It seems the orthodox are content to remain in the TEC, still waiting for Canterbury to come by and tap them to be the "official" Anglican group in America. +Ed, I'm afraid I share your cynicism. From the first AAC meeting I attended, it sounded like a whole lot more of hand wringing about "the stuff" and less true outrage that Holy Scripture had been cast aside. I almost think that had it not been for VGR, most would have been content to remain blissfully ignorant of what was going on in thier church. The longer they stay the more suspect their orthodoxy becomes. As far as waiting to be tapped as the official Anglican group - from all the talk I heard early on, that is part of some theory that when that happens they will suddenly have legal claim to being the "true" Episcopal Church and therefore have claim to all "the stuff". More "we haven't left them, they left us" blather. |
| Isaac | Posted: 2006/6/22 18:11 Updated: 2006/6/22 18:11 |
Home away from home Joined: 2004/3/1 From: Texas Posts: 595 |
UPDATE Retired Bishop of Texas Ben Benitez DID sign the statement. As of Thursday afternoon, 6-22, nothing from Don Wimberly.
This from the Houston Chronicle June 19: Bishop Don Wimberly of the Diocese of Texas praised Jefferts Schori as "articulate and well-educated." "The concern of some is how the Communion will accept this (her election)," Wimberly said. "She is a wonderful person, and we will see how it plays." See http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/religion/3981585.html Isaac |
