SAN ANTONIO, TX: Christ Church Ponders Its Future in The Episcopal Church
Largest Parish in West Texas Looks at Its Options

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
11/8/2008

The Rev. Chuck Collins is considered to be one of the kindest, gentlest, godliest evangelical rectors in the Episcopal Church today. It is one of the reasons why he has, through painstaking evangelism and pastoral care, made his parish one of the largest - 2,600 strong - in The Episcopal Church today. His $12 million campus is a major player and the largest in the Diocese of West Texas.

Now he wrestles with finding a common cause solution to a denomination that has marginalized him and his congregation over pansexuality and the authority of Scripture.

At 55, with more than 30 years in the Episcopal Church as one its most successful priests, he is watching, with great sadness, his denomination come apart at the seams. "It pains me that the church I love has so obviously abandoned its commitment to the authority of Holy Scripture and the formularies that have always defined historic Anglicanism. Its race towards a progressive understanding of human sexuality is but one example of this," he told VOL in a phone call.

Recently, his vestry submitted a statement to the parish concerning actions relating to The Episcopal Church which said TEC's leaders were acting "contrary to traditional Christian faith, and which have marginalized TEC with many of its sister churches in the Anglican Communion."

Collins spoke to VOL of the agony he and his church are going through, an agony shared by hundreds of orthodox Episcopal parishes across the country who are wrestling over similar issues and their future in The Episcopal Church.

Building on a letter to the congregation from the Vestry dated July 26, 2006, a process of discernment began to explore how Christ Church can best differentiate itself with its core values and beliefs from the theological innovations being pursued by TEC.

"We looked at five options, ranging from accepting the authority of TEC and submitting to its teachings and leadership, to making a full break with TEC and becoming an independent church with no denominational affiliation. The option which was chosen to pursue at this time, and which the Vestry has acted upon, is: to disassociate from TEC's false teachings without disconnecting from the Anglican Communion and the Diocese of West Texas." he told VOL.

"We have kept Bishop Gay Lillibridge fully informed of our process. Vestry teams have met with him on three occasions, and we have had numerous e-mail correspondence with him as well. With his knowledge and considering his counsel, at its meeting on October 21, 2008, the Vestry unanimously approved a number of resolutions concerning Christ Church's relationship to The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of West Texas."

"We affirmed that Christ Episcopal Church is apostolically connected to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ directly through the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury and our diocesan bishop, the Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge. This apostolic connection is not through the provincial structure of The Episcopal Church or its Presiding Bishop.

"We resolved to continue to participate fully in the life of the Diocese of West Texas and to pay its full diocesan apportionment;

"Resolved: that Christ Episcopal Church disassociates itself from those actions of The Episcopal Church's General Convention that impair The Episcopal Church's relationships with other provinces of the Anglican Communion and from those statements and actions made by the Presiding Bishop and other leaders within The Episcopal Church that support positions that have not been tested or accepted by the Anglican Communion or the wider Christian community."

The church also disassociated itself from the failure of the Presiding Bishop and other bishops and leaders to live within the guidelines of the Windsor Report.

"For his part, Bishop Lillibridge assured us that he is, and will continue:

* to be a "Windsor" bishop, affirming the Windsor Report;

* to support a diocesan policy that allows congregations and individuals to redirect their portion of TEC funds to other ministries outside the diocese;

* to support CEC's relationships with the wider communion, such as with Uganda and Nigeria.

"We believe that this statement and these actions allow our parish to affirm the historic Christian faith that we proclaim, yet reject the erroneous teachings that are accepted by many in TEC."

The agreement was unanimously approved in October 21, 2008.

When VOL asked Collins what this means in terms of his future, Collins was candid. "In terms of being in TEC, I don't know what that means. Bishop Lillibridge is a moderate. He is willing to work with us. We are not there over property issues. We are the biggest parish in the diocese with 2,700 members and we average about 800 each week."

Collins admits that his is a wealthy congregation and they will weather whatever storms come their way. If they leave TEC, it will be a loss for everybody.

"I don't have any hope in TEC. I do have a responsibility and call to pastor this congregation and I have to do it in a responsible and prayerful way whatever God's will is for future of the church. The burden is on me to educate. I am looking for a common cause solution to the problem."

Collins would like to see the Windsor report being obeyed, for discipline to be taken by the Primates and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and for a Covenant that has teeth, but he is not very hopeful.

The priest would like to see a new North American Anglican Province that he hopes the ABC will sign off on. If he does not, then Collins hopes the Primates will. "In February when the Primates meet and a determination is made and there is the submission of a new province, my hope is that the Anglican Consultative Council support will be obtained by June."

"The tragedy is that we are not doctrinally supported in our efforts. We do have The 39 Articles, The Articles of Religion, The Lambeth Quadrilateral, Resolution 1:10, and a proposed Covenant but can they hold us together?"

Collins is walking a tightrope and he knows it. He is under pressure from his vestry and parish.

The bishop is also walking a tight rope. He faces pressure from the Presiding Bishop and her attorney David Booth Beers. Both have threatened other bishops who do not rein in parishes that want to leave with their properties. He also faces opprobrium and ostracism from a HOB not sympathetic to orthodoxy in faith and morals.

Bishop Lillibridge will, in time, be forced to make a choice that will test his loyalty - will it be to the ultra-liberal Episcopal Church or to the gospel and the historic faith as we have received it? Time will tell.

END