ALABAMA: ORTHODOX DEAN SAYS HOB DEPO STATEMENT "UNSATISFACTORY"

By David W. Virtue 3/29/2004

BIRMINGHAM, AL--The Dean of the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham says that the recent HOB statement regarding Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight is unsatisfactory, because it withholds "jurisdiction", and makes a consistent distinction between "jurisdiction" and "pastoral oversight".

The Very Rev. Dr. Paul Zahl says that what is needed for the dissenting minority, is a suspension, in love, of business as usual, indeed a suspension, for a period of time, of the constitution and canons of ECUSA analogous to the Act of Synod in the Church of England, which would provide us a safe place to stand.

"We need a position of SAFETY and full recognition of our identity, not somebody else's idea of what that is supposed to mean. They should have given us some place of independent jurisdiction, simply out of concern for our deepest feelings and principles. This they have not done."

Zahl said he was disappointed with the outcome, as he had been making progress towards a better statement that would have done more for those orthodox parish priests being persecuted by revisionist bishops.

Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison has gone on record saying, "As a matter of conscience and in a desire to honour my ordination vows, I personally have no intention of implementing anything like Flying Bishops or whatever they call it even if it is adopted," by the House of Bishops.