ECUSA: BISHOPS REPUDIATE IRREGULAR OHIO CONFIRMATIONS

By Jan Nunley

[ENS] Saying that they "repudiate and deplore the unilateral actions" of five retired U.S. bishops who conducted confirmations in Ohio without the diocesan bishop's permission, the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops, meeting at Camp Allen, Texas on March 24, nevertheless declined to proceed with disciplinary action against them. The vote on the resolution was unanimous, according to Bishop Suffragan Ken Price of Southern Ohio, secretary of the House of Bishops.

Retired bishops FitzSimons Allison of South Carolina, Maurice Benitez of Texas, William Cox (assisting) of Oklahoma, Alex Dickson of West Tennessee and William Wantland of Eau Claire confirmed 110 individuals from five congregations and celebrated the Eucharist on March 14 in Akron, without the knowledge and permission of the Bishop of Ohio, J. Clark Grew II. They were joined by Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti of the Diocese of Recife in northern Brazil.

The five "in so doing used the sacrament of unity in Christ as an instrument of division and defiance. Secretive in its planning, their action was discourteous, disruptive and a willful violation of our Constitution and Canons," the statement said.

The action also met with a stern rebuke from Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, Bishop Grew, and Ohio bishop-elect Mark Hollingsworth Jr., and "strong disapproval" from the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice on March 16. Bishop Orlando Santos de Oliveira, primate of the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, said in a letter March 16 that Cavalcanti had violated the canons of Brazil and promised the matter would be brought before that church's House of Bishops.

No discipline for now

"We have prayerfully considered the use of the disciplinary canons in response to the actions in Ohio. In the spirit of our commitment to reconciliation, we choose a different course. We invite these five bishops to meet with the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice to discuss their actions. Further, we want them to hear about the work we continue to do as bishops who embrace the ministry of reconciliation for the mission of the whole church," the bishops' statement continued. None of the five were present at the Camp Allen meeting.

But further infractions, the bishops emphasized, would have consequences. "At the same time, we hold these five bishops, and one another, accountable for the good order of the Church, the Body of Christ," the statement said. "Therefore, in the future any bishop performing Episcopal acts without the permission of the diocesan bishop will be subject to discipline under our canons."

The statement urged those in disagreement with their bishops and the decisions of the 74th General Convention to "share their views directly with their bishops" rather than participate in services such as the one in Ohio. "In our continuing efforts to care pastorally for all of our people, at this meeting we have endorsed a plan for Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight," the bishops pointed out. "We are committed to responding generously and pastorally to requests made in accordance with this plan."

The Rev. Jan Nunley is deputy director of Episcopal News Service.