AAC: IS THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH LEADERSHIP IN DISARRAY?

By Cyntha Brust | AAC Communications Director

Two stories have surfaced in recent weeks about the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA). On the surface, they may appear unrelated, but closer examination raises a number of questions about the future of ECUSA.

On July 19, 2004, the Rt. Rev. John Lipscomb, Bishop of Southwest Florida, announced he had been invited to be part of a team visiting several provinces in East Africa. He will be joined by the Rt. Rev. Ted Daniels, assistant bishop of the Diocese of Texas and the Very Rev. Titus Presler, Dean of the Seminary of the Southwest, traveling with "the full knowledge and support of our Presiding Bishop."

The focus of the trip appears to center on attempts toward reconciliation with African provinces and dioceses that have decried the decisions of General Convention 2003. To date, twenty-one Anglican provinces have declared either impaired or broken communion with ECUSA.

The timing of this trip — just 2 months before the Lambeth Commission is expected to issue its report — is significant. It seems ECUSA's leadership has suddenly backed away from its position that the worldwide Anglican Communion's outrage does not matter.

In a surprising development, the Chief Operating Officer of the Episcopal Church Center announced the resignation, effective immediately, of Daniel B. England as Director of Communication. The announcement was not only unexpected and abrupt, but also offered few details.

Does Mr. England's resignation signal an acknowledgement that the approach chosen by ECUSA has proven ineffective, unsuccessful or even a complete failure? As these two situations are considered together, questions must be asked: What is going on behind the scenes in ECUSA? Is the leadership divided?

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