'AKRON FIVE' BISHOP RESPONDS TO COUNCIL OF ADVICE PRESIDENT

Special Report

By David W. Virtue

CHARLESTON, SC—One of the five orthodox bishops who participated in an irregular confirmation service in the Diocese of Ohio has responded with a letter to Bishop Charles E. Jenkins, stating he would not meet with him one-on-one. However, he and the five bishops would be willing to participate in an "open meeting" with the Council of Advice.

The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison (SC ret.) wrote to the President of the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice on May 20, saying the central issue concerns the substance of the 'faith once delivered,' not personality issues or the Church's canons.

"I sense that you have not yet grasped what we believe to be the issue before us. It is certainly not a personal one. The issue we wish to address is the departure from the Christian faith on the part of the House of Bishops. We believe that the substantial loss in the number of Episcopalians over the last ten years indicates that others share this concern."

Bishop Allison cited what he called "the long retreat from Christian teaching by Episcopal bishops from the days of Jim Pike." He noted that "Frank Griswold refused to endorse Rowan Williams's superb critique of Spong's 12 Theses because he said he knew people who would remain Episcopalians only because of Spong's teachings."

"Is there no corresponding concern for those who are leaving because of our bishops' failure to uphold the faith which we swore to preserve?"

Allison then criticized Henry Parsley (Bishop of Alabama) for his tenure as chairman of the theological committee for the 4th Province, citing his failure to act against Spong's 12 Theses. Parsley said the issue was "too controversial" for any action.

"Yet [Parsley] doesn't hesitate to call on the carpet anyone who went to the conference in Plano, and he has attacked with erroneous charges a parish favoring the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes."

Allison then criticized Frank Griswold, John Chane, Larry Maze, Bob Johnson, Richard Shimpfky, "and much of the House, whose actions at General Convention have caused schism in the Anglican Communion," calling them "morally challenged" and "theologically inept."

The orthodox South Carolina bishop said scholarly works by Dr. Philip Turner, John Booty, and others had been ignored "by our fellow bishops." He criticized the bishops for their disdain for scholarly and theologically appropriate approaches to issues facing the church. "I believe we are now paying the penalty."

"It is clear that in this long and lamentable history of our episcopal unwillingness to deal with faith and doctrine, bishops increasingly resort to unprecedented use of force to salvage what unity remains—by threats, tyranny, and territory rather than by proclamation and affirmation of the faith that alone evokes and establishes true unity."

Allison asked what remained after the defeat of Resolution B001, which did away with the authority of Scripture, creeds, Lambeth resolutions, and the 39 Articles. "To what can we appeal? Experience? Inclusiveness, which rapidly turns exclusive? By our meeting, we hope and pray that some bishops may assume the responsibility of our vows and begin to turn our church away from the fast-approaching abyss of self-destruction."

"We believe that an open meeting might elicit from the House of Bishops the possibility of change and/or allow the five of us to consider the possibility that we are mistaken in believing that faith and order have been disastrously sundered. We would be relieved if we could be reassured that our objections and criticism are without substance and that further support is no longer needed for loyal and faithful Episcopalians in dioceses which appear to us to be in defiance of our own sworn faith and to be out of communion with our Anglican family."

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