March 20, 2004 Dublin, Mar. 19 (CWNews.com) - A sharp disagreement on homosexuality has given rise to tensions between Catholic and Anglican leaders in Ireland. The dispute arose last week when the Church of Ireland (Anglican) Archdeacon of Dublin, Gordon Linney, argued in a public speech that the government should allow homosexual couples to "have registered stable relationships with all the benefits and rights that go with that status." The archdeacon stopped short of advocating same-sex marriage, conceding that marriage is "a term with very special dimensions and meanings." However, as he made his argument for same-sex unions, the Anglican leader took what appeared to be a direct slap at the Catholic hierarchy, asking "how people who are so certain about homosexuality being evil could have been so indifferent and even devious when it came to facing up to the issue of child abuse." Speaking in Dublin's Anglican cathedral on Sunday, the Catholic Archbishop shot back. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin told the congregation at St. Patrick's cathedral: It would not be honest of me, speaking here today in a Church of Ireland cathedral, not to refer to a certain hurt that I felt in these days by words attributed in the press to a Church of Ireland figure which somehow gave the impression that those who hold different theological positions to the author on the subject of homosexuality, were perhaps less sincere, even fundamentalist, or were associated with having been "devious" on other serious issues. Archbishop Martin, who made his remarks at an ecumenical evensong service, suggested that Christians of different denominations should show "respect for each other's searching" on controversial issues. Such public disputes among Christians emphasize the differences between the denominations, he said. He called upon all Christians to "address our individual sinful responsibility today for the perpetuation of the disunity which exists among the followers of Christ." This article courtesy of Catholic World News. To subscribe or for further information, contact subs@cwnews.com or visit www.cwnews.com.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, LONDON, UK-The Archbishop of Canterbury is worried. In a moment of candor about problems facing the church and his leadership over homosexuals in the priesthood and the recent consecration of Gene Robinson, he said, "I have to admit that over the past twelve months I'm not sure what God has in mind for the Church of England or the Anglican Communion. Half the time I haven't any idea. But in the end, I believe it will work itself out." Yesterday he ratcheted up the tension a notch or two when he sent a private letter to Frank Griswold on the eve of the Camp Allen House of Bishops meeting telling the Presiding Bishop that the confirmations in Ohio had his blessing. The full contents of the letter have not been leaked to anyone, and Griswold has not so much as admitted that a letter even exists. But when a fellow journalist here in London talked to Lambeth Palace, she got the response that it was "too hot to leak"! Virtuosity has learned that it contains, at the very minimum, a strong if not harsh word to Griswold to take no ecclesiastical action against the "Ohio five" bishops, because he would not get support from Lambeth Palace. This puts Griswold in a real quandary. He has 61 or more revisionist ECUSA bishops breathing down his neck wanting him to do something, with the not so veiled threat from the Bishop of Oklahoma, Robert M. Moody that an appropriate response to this action of defiance and disobedience on the part of those bishops will be on the agenda. "That response could be a censure of these bishops or a presentment that could lead to an ecclesiastical trial." This is the last thing Griswold wants. He hates conflict of any kind, but every time he turns around he faces it, and it is getting worse by the week. The orthodox bishops have made it very clear they will never accept pastoral care because it is not alternative Episcopal oversight, and Griswold won't back down from his position that the diocesan bishop's power must be honored under existing church law. Stalemate. Meantime V. Gene Robinson makes his first appearance as a bishop in Camp Allen, where he will undoubtedly be greeted with cheers from the revisionist gallery and groans from the orthodox side of the house. VIRTUOSITY has received word that his partner Mark Andrew will be attending the wives gathering, where, one assumes he will be acknowledged and possibly consecrated the first queen among the wives. Phoebe Griswold, who wore, "just ask me about Gene" buttons at General Convention, will do the honors. BUT ALL IS NOT WELL AT CAMP ALLEN. The bishops are not staying together and some conservative bishops are boycotting the Navasota meeting. Some will participate fully and some like Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan will stay offsite and attend only sessions treating the church fracture. Do we have a de facto breakup already underway? Clearly we will not see any public embracing of Frank and Bob this time round, if ever again. Lines are beginning to harden and there would seem to be no way back unless one or other parties cries uncle. The revisionists have the numbers, at least in the number of bishops, but the laity is clearly given more to orthodoxy in faith and morals, and this can be judged by the numbers leaving liberal dioceses. El Camino Real was decimated by Schimpfky reducing the numbers from 30,000 to 12,000 and Grew (Ohio) has seen his numbers fall from 40,000 to 24,000. As Robert England, a traditionalist Episcopalian and journalist who documented the decline of the Diocese of Newark under Jack Spong noted, "Bishop Schimpfky was one of Bishop Spong's darlings when he was in the Diocese of Newark. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. No surprise that membership in the Diocese of El Camino Real collapsed under Schimpkfy's tenure -- it did the same under Spong in Newark." As one Virtuosity reader noted. "You reap what you sow. Thirty years of lawlessness practiced by bishops doing their own thing, instead of teaching basic Christianity, and accepting Anglican Communion guidelines, has taught many people that doing your own thing is best. On territorialism: "It seems as if many bishops are only interested in protecting their territory. They can't stand competition." Meanwhile Griswold and his flak, Dan England keeps talking up reconciliation as though nothing was really wrong. Reconcile what? Reconciliation dialogues are little more than smoke and mirrors attempts to patch up the unpatchable. Those attending them don't see much point either. All the talk seems to create more anger and frustration, acting as a reminder of underhanded and manipulated results. At the end of the day it might well be that the revisionists would sooner destroy the church than acquiesce to orthodoxy in faith am morals. IF YOU THINK THE NUMBERS ARE BAD IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, a Church of England Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester, says that if present trends continue the CofE "could disappear within a generation or two." Already there are only 800,000 churchgoers regularly attending Sunday services – fewer than the number of Muslims attending mosques. In all, the number of church worshippers has fallen more than a million since 1990. The latest ECUSA figures show that between 700,000 and 800,000 attend church regularly, the much vaunted 2.5 million figure is wildly exaggerated unless you count cemetery headstones. SEWANEE TO GIVE HONORARY DOCTORATE TO ROBINSON! The beginning of the campaign to give him the degree is underway. An inside source at Sewanee says that the University of the South will be forced into atoning for its past sins of orthodoxy by awarding its next honorary degree to the homosexual alumnus. He has 9 of Sewanee's 28 bishops on his side, and they are a very powerful and political block, and they can prove they were right if Sewanee shows the world that it too loves Gene. "Safe Space = Safe Space for him and his boyfriend." Will Sewanee continue to embarrass itself? Stay tuned. AND THE DIOCESE OF MASSACHUSETTS APPROVED A CIVIL MARRRIAGE resolution at its recent day-long convention. No surprise there. The resolution was passed by a large majority of the 391 voting members—clergy and lay delegates representing the diocese's 194 congregations. And they did it in an hour and a half. The Convention, which brought together more than 650 Episcopalians, focused on the fantasy notion of evangelism through music, but most of the time, however, was spent singing up on the well- orchestrated resolution concerning marriage. Shaw was also the featured speaker at a demonstration for legalized gay marriage. Meanwhile, a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as heterosexual was endorsed jointly by heads of the state's four Roman Catholic dioceses, the Greek Orthodox metropolitan, prominent black and evangelical leaders, heads of the Islamic Council; and several mainline Protestant and Jewish clergy. Shaw is not working off the same page as Scripture or, it would seem, his ecumenical partners. AND THIS FROM A VIRTUOSITY READER WHO HAS A GRIP ON THINGS. "Christian liberalism enters upon spiritual waters with its opposition to the voice of authentic Gospel, though coming from a huge diversity of ill- informed and muddle-headed points of view. It is utterly consistent and coherent in one respect and one only: it hates the truth about Jesus and the cross. Even those who don't know this truth have been (spiritually) conditioned to respond to it, as if by instinct. "Liberal Christianity promotes itself as saving the world FROM Jesus and the cross. That has become its only asset, its only "gospel". Everything it does supports this. If the rallying cry is "inclusiveness", it means including those who felt themselves excluded because of Christian morals. If it is "justice", it means opposing the free market economy which, while not itself Christian, could only have been born and can only thrive in a once-Christian culture. Even the call for "conversation" anticipates the need to neutralize the legitimate claims of a Creator and Savior God. "Revisionist Christianity is not bastardized, watered down or dumbed down Christianity. It is Antichristianity. It is organized around a spirit that opposes Jesus, even if the ecclesiastical lackeys who support it haven't got a clue." I AM POSTING A NUMBER OF STORIES TODAY including an interview with retired Bishop William Wantland (Eau Claire) regarding the Ohio confirmations and more. THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION INSTITUTE will hold its Colorado Spring Conference under the banner, ANGLICANISM: HISTORY AND HOPE: The Future of World Anglicanism in North America. April 20-23, 2004. Among the speakers will be Dr. George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, Professor Editor Humphrey, The Rev. Dr. John Karania, The Rev. Dr. Robert Prichard, The Rev. Dr. Jeremie Begbie and the Rev. Dr. Ashley Null. You are warmly invited to attend this conference. This writer will be in attendance. You can sign up by writing to: The Anglican Communion Institute, 601 North Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. The Rev. Don Armstrong. IN THE DIOCESE OF NIAGARA (Canada) they will hold a General Synod Children's Program, 2004 under the Banner, "See, I'm Making All Things New." The program is for children aged 5 through 12. Along with story- telling, puppets, crafts, music, parachutes and drama, there are other activity themes that include, "What's a Primate," "Native Jubilee" and "Same-Sex Issues." What in heaven's name is someone doing teaching same-sex issues to pre-teens! One hopes the Police have been alerted. IN OTHER NEWS the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast approved a policy that opposes both ordination of noncelibate clergy and blessing rites for same-sex couples. And the Diocese of the Mississippi rejected proposals to declare that a breach exists between itself and the Episcopal Church, and to withhold money to protest Robinson's consecration. CORRECTION: In my last digest I said on my Ohio story that, "None of the priests were from the six parishes." What I should have said was, "None of the priests from the six parishes were vested for the service. (They were instructed not to wear their vestments. Each parish was represented by its priest.) I AM IN LONDON for a few days assessing the Church of England situation. I will have more news in the days to come. PLEASE SUPPORT VIRTUOSITY with your tax deductible dollar. Without your support I cannot exist. Please be generous. You can use PAYPAL at my website: www.virtuosityonline.org, or you can send a snail mail check to VIRTUOSITY, 1236 Waterford Rd., West Chester, PA 19380. Thank you for your support. All blessings, David W. Virtue DD

Bishop William Wantland, retired bishop of Eau Claire, now lives in Oklahoma. He is a long-time FIF/NA Council Member and FIF/NA Chancellor. He was chosen to be the Celebrant at the historic Confirmation Service for the "Ohio Cluster" of parishes on March 14, 2004. forwardNOW! interviewed the Bishop shortly after the event. forwardNOW! - How were the Bishops chosen to provide the "Ohio cluster" with these "emergency measures" this past Sunday? Who did the asking? Do you think that this will give other bishops courage to step out and repeat this in other parts of the country? How important is it that an overseas bishop be a part of these actions. Bishop Wantland: Several of us were asked to be a part of this effort, and the initial request came from St. Luke's Church, Akron, in concert with five other congregations. I was asked if I knew other senior bishops who might take part. There were five of us available, and several more who wanted to take part, but were already committed for March 14. I do think this will encourage others to take part in the future, should this be necessary. I am not sure it is essential to have overseas bishops present, but Bishop Cavalcanti wanted to be a part of this historic occasion. forwardNOW: With your legal background, do you fear any reprisals or hostility from the House of Bishops meeting on March 19-25? From any other group? Bishop Wantland: While reprisals may well come from revisionist bishops, I don't know of a one of us who fears such action. I would not be surprised to see the ViaMedia groups trying to make presentations, or possibly Integrity. forwardNOW: Will one of you be appointed as an on-going spiritual overseer of the "Ohio cluster?" Bishop Wantland: We did discuss an ongoing relationship with the six congregations, but I am not sure how that will be handled at present. There will be further discussion with involved parties in the near future. forwardNOW: Since Forward in Faith has chosen to partner with the American Anglican Council and is a member convocation of the "Network," what do you say to those FIF/NA members who fear that we have compromised our principles to associate with groups that ordain women? Are we still able to "commit to the Church's historic position on Holy Orders as an integral ingredient for the realignment of orthodox Christianity and the Anglican tradition" as Fr. Moyer says? Bishop Wantland: If I am not mistaken, FiF/NA claims to be a part of the Anglican Communion, which includes groups that ordain women. If one wishes to be entirely free of any such association, then one must join Rome or Orthodoxy and leave the Anglican Communion. I would hope that it would not be necessary to refer to the fact that FiF/NA has its own Convocation in the Network; that the Network Charter recognizes our right to proclaim our understanding of ordained ministry; that the Network is committed to an in-depth study of the question (something ECUSA has never done); and that we were a part of the study of this question done by AMiA, resulting in a decision NOT to ordain women to the priesthood or episcopate. Our situation is so much better in the Network than at present in ECUSA, with our right to proclaim our understanding of Apostolic Ministry fully assured. To refuse to work with those who support us, even if they do not yet agree with us, is short-sighted and dangerous. forwardNOW: Some parishes and clergy are intentionally not talking about the events of the wider church in order to "protect" and "isolate" their parishioners. They want to focus on evangelizing, prayer, and Christian Education and not get caught up in the politics of the church. What do you say to them? Bishop Wantland: Only ostriches bury their heads in the sand, and not to any good purpose. You cannot ignore the reality of what is going on. How can one focus on evangelizing, prayer or Christian Education, if one ignores the blatant attack on the Christian Faith which is the basis for evangelization, a full prayer life, or Christian Education. Those who try to ignore what is going on and just "do the Lord's work" are NOT doing themselves or their people any favors. They are encouraging the forces of revisionism by pretending the problem does not exist. forwardNOW: How does it feel to be a part of a history-making event by taking part in these confirmations? 110 – Is this the largest group of confirmands for whom you have ministered? Bishop Wantland: I only wish so many more people could have been present. The congregation of about 1,000 was so full of the Spirit, and everything, music, sermon, liturgy, was fantastic. I have been part of Confirmations for 60 or so people, but this was the first time I took part in a service for 110 confirmands. I was truly blessed to be a part of all this.

By Ruth Gledhill Religion Correspondent THE TIMES 3/19/2004 VACANT: one see with large house, £30,000 stipend, 70 priests, 7,000 souls and thousands more sheep. Must be able to speak Welsh. Hoffwch chi fod yn Esgob Bangor? For the first time in its history, the oldest diocese in the country has failed to elect a bishop. After a three-day conclave, the electoral college of the Church in Wales last night failed to reach a decision over who should succeed the Right Rev Saunders Davies as Bishop of Bangor. Bangor, the oldest continuous see in Britain, founded more than 1,450 years ago, could now be without a bishop for months or even years while the five other diocesan bishops decide what to do. Insiders were last night speculating that the diocese could even be merged with neighbouring St Asaph, placing its 70 parishes in the care of the Right Rev John Davies. The electoral college, made up of representatives from Bangor and the wider church, had to find a two-thirds majority for a new bishop within three days at their meeting this week at St Deiniol's Cathedral, Bangor. No electoral college meeting has taken longer than two days since the disestablishment and separation of the Church in Wales from the Church of England in 1920. The college has never before failed to reach a decision, which has resulted in the referral of the vacancy to the bench of bishops. The difficulties at Bangor are symptomatic of the problems facing the Anglican church throughout Britain. At the root of the problem is the declining number of priests and worshippers. As fewer high-calibre graduates experience a vocation to the ordained ministry, the number of clergy suitable for elevation to the episcopacy is diminishing fast.

By Peter C. Moore President, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code popularizes ancient heresies—most notably, the denial of Christ’s divinity—claiming it was “invented” at Nicaea in 325 A.D. Yet the early Church’s devotion to Christ as Kyrios predates Constantine by centuries. Today’s challenge is subtler: subjectivism. In a pluralist culture, many prefer belief as personal preference—not objective truth. Thus, one can “affirm the creeds” while denying their exclusive claims. Consider Bishop Michael Ingham of New Westminster, whose advocacy for same-sex blessings caused 10 parishes (one-third of his diocese) to seek oversight elsewhere. In a public debate on “Is Jesus Christ the only way to God?”, scholar Marcus Borg dismissed exclusivity as “triumphalist,” while N.T. Wright defended John 14:6—“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Yet even critics like Tom Harpur argue such claims are “non-historical”—despite parallel affirmations in Matthew and Luke. Herein lies the crisis: Christology and sexual ethics are not separate issues—they are two expressions of the same question: Does revelation bind us, or do we reinterpret it to fit culture? A 2004 sociological study of the PC(USA) found that the primary reason adults aged 35–55 left the denomination was simple: they no longer believed Jesus is the only Savior. The same dynamic is at work in ECUSA. Orthodoxy is not mere intellectual assent—it is the framework that preserves the scandal of the Cross: that mercy comes not through human effort, but through the One who is Mercy incarnate. Jesus told the parable of two men praying in the Temple: one righteous in his own eyes, the other crying, “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Which went home justified? Only the one who knew he needed rescue. If mercy is our deepest need—and it is—then Jesus is not a way. He is the way. And no revision of canon, creed, or culture can change that. END

The Rt. Rev. Neptali Larrea Moreno, Bishop of Ecuador Central, was deposed unanimously by the House of Bishops on March 23, 2004, for “abandonment of communion”—specifically, an “open renunciation of the Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship” of ECUSA. The action followed years of financial irregularities and Larrea’s repeated refusal to cooperate with audits (since at least 1997) or with a 2001 investigative committee. After Presiding Bishop Griswold inhibited him in January 2004, Larrea failed to request a trial—as allowed under Canon IV.9. In December 2003, still under inhibition, Larrea held a diocesan convention and unilaterally declared the diocese “independent” of Province IX and ECUSA. An assisting bishop will serve until a new election is held.

Bishop Robert “Itty” (Geraldo) of Western Oregon reaffirmed the Church’s canonical and theological definition of marriage: “We continue to uphold and honor the sanctity of marriage and recognize this as a union between one man and one woman.” Citing Title I, Canon 18, and the Book of Common Prayer, he emphasized marriage as a sacred covenant reflecting Christ’s union with the Church—not merely a civil contract. He reminded clergy they are bound to uphold Church teaching and avoid rites “contrary to the canons.” While acknowledging civil developments in Oregon and Massachusetts, he insisted ECUSA “does not formally recognize any other form of marriage.”

Bishop Robert M. Moody of Oklahoma addressed his diocese regarding the participation of two Oklahoma-affiliated bishops—William Wantland and William Cox—in the Akron service. Calling the act “constitutional and canonical disobedience,” Moody noted Wantland (a canon lawyer) surely understood its gravity, while Cox’s involvement surprised both Moody and his rector, David Fox. Moody urged prayers—for repentance, healing, and restraint from further “covert actions.” He confirmed that the House of Bishops would consider formal responses at Camp Allen, possibly including censure or presentment leading to ecclesiastical trial. LONDON: WILLIAMS WRITES GRISWOLD AS HOB MEETS IN TEXAS In an exclusive report, Virtuosity revealed that Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams sent a strongly worded letter to Presiding Bishop Griswold on the eve of the Texas meeting. Described by a Lambeth Palace source as “too hot to leak,” the letter reportedly urged Griswold to make significant compromises with orthodox voices—or risk schism without Canterbury’s support. A source indicated the letter may implicitly endorse the Akron confirmations as a justified response to pastoral abandonment. Griswold had not yet shared the letter with the full House of Bishops at time of reporting.

At their March 19–25, 2004 meeting in Navasota, Texas, ECUSA bishops confronted the fallout from Gene Robinson’s consecration. Though billed as non-legislative and focused on “reconciliation,” the gathering centered on a key flashpoint: how to provide episcopal oversight for conservative parishes rejecting their local (often pro-Robinson) bishops. Griswold’s proposed solution—allowing visiting orthodox bishops, but only with local approval and appeal to regional bodies—was immediately rejected by conservatives, who view both mechanisms as stacked against them. Bishop Duncan attended selectively, boycotting plenary sessions he deemed unproductive. Others fully boycotted; some participated. The Akron confirmation event loomed large. While Griswold’s Council of Advice called it a violation meant to “sow division,” conservatives saw it as necessary ecclesial triage. The message was clear: without structural reform, defiance will escalate—and congregations may begin departing en masse. WASHINGTON: BISHOP CHANE APPOINTS TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP NON-MARRIAGE RITE Bishop John Bryson Chane of Washington announced the formation of a Task Force on the Blessing of Relationships, charged with drafting a rite for couples “for whom the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage… is not appropriate or available.” The rite would serve same-sex couples and others—for example, elderly partners avoiding marriage for legal or financial reasons. Chane noted that over 266,000 U.S. couples aged 65+ fall into the latter category. The diocese has a history of informal relationship blessings, and the Task Force invited submissions of existing liturgical materials. No timeline was given for General Convention approval. The move positions Washington among the most progressive dioceses in ECUSA.

The Episcopal Church’s current turmoil is not a new rupture—but the culmination of decades of unresolved theological drift. The 2003 consecration of Gene Robinson was not merely controversial; it crossed a theological Rubicon for many orthodox Anglicans. Unlike earlier disputes over women’s ordination or liturgical revision, this moment united over 25 orthodox bishops in public, principled resistance. Gatherings in Plano and the formation of the Anglican Network in North America (NADCP) signaled a sea change: no longer appeasement, but mobilization. At the March 2004 House of Bishops meeting in Camp Allen, Texas, tensions flared. Bishop Grew demanded accountability for the Akron service—even suggesting it was timed to “manipulate” the agenda. Griswold proposed a revised plan for “adequate episcopal oversight” of dissenting parishes, but conservatives rejected it, noting it preserved local bishops’ veto power and relied on liberal-dominated regional bodies. Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, Network moderator, warned: “The present course is suicidal—or at least fratricidal.” Retired Bishop Maurice Benitez added: if no acceptable plan emerges, “these kinds of measures may no longer be necessary”—implying further extra-canonical interventions. The deeper issue is not polity, but soteriology: What Gospel is being proclaimed? Many parishes report decades without clear preaching on sin, repentance, or Christ’s atoning death—especially as revisionist leaders increasingly frame the Cross as “violent” or “exclusionary,” echoing critiques of The Passion of the Christ. To deny the objective reality of sin—including sexual sin—and replace it with therapeutic language of “inclusion” and “diversity” is, orthodox leaders argue, to abandon the faith once delivered. As Pascal’s Wager reminds us: if Scripture is true, the stakes are eternal. Sixty-two bishops now press a vision incompatible with historic Christian orthodoxy. The orthodox response is no longer withdrawal—but faithful resistance.

“A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” — Richard Niebuhr, 1937 The great unraveling of the Episcopal Church has begun in earnest. On Sunday, March 14, 2004, five retired Episcopal bishops—C. FitzSimons Allison (South Carolina), Maurice Benitez (Texas), William Cox (Oklahoma), Alex Dickson (West Tennessee), and William Wantland (Eau Claire)—joined by Robinson Cavalcanti, Bishop of Recife (Brazil), crossed canonical boundaries to conduct a Confirmation and Holy Eucharist service in Akron, Ohio, under the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Ohio’s revisionist bishop, J. Clark Grew II. Held at the Orthodox Church of the Presentation of Our Lord, the service confirmed 110 individuals from six congregations—five Episcopal parishes and one Anglican church plant—whose members had refused confirmation by Bishop Grew due to his support for ECUSA’s 2003 General Convention actions, including the consecration of Gene Robinson. Approximately 800 people attended. None of the officiating priests were from the participating parishes; all acted under the bishops’ authority. Bishop Allison preached on the defense of the faith, selecting Christ’s warning against the “leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” as the Gospel lesson, and invoked Charles P. McIlvaine, the 19th-century Bishop of Ohio who opposed theological rationalism and ecclesiastical idolatry. Cynthia Brust of the American Anglican Council, which helped organize the event, acknowledged possible repercussions. Yet the act signaled a new phase in the struggle for the soul of ECUSA—a deliberate, public defiance of diocesan authority and revisionist leadership. Bishop Grew called the event a “disturbance” created by a “minority position” seeking fading attention. Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and spokesperson Daniel England condemned the action as unconstitutional. Yet critics noted the irony: the 1974 Philadelphia ordinations—also canonically irregular—were later vindicated by many as prophetic. Griswold insists all actions must conform to ECUSA’s canons and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s call for constitutional fidelity. Yet both orthodox and revisionist camps now claim Rowan Williams’ tacit support. According to ACNS editor James Rosenthal, the Archbishop has not publicly clarified his position—a silence the Anglican Communion Office fears may accelerate fragmentation. The House of Bishops’ historic reluctance to pursue presentments—even against figures like John Spong or Charles Bennison—suggests little appetite for disciplining the retired bishops. Their lack of current diocesan authority makes any censure largely symbolic, and risks triggering more severe schisms. Meanwhile, statistical decline underscores the crisis: ECUSA lost 36% of its membership between 1966 and 2001, while clergy numbers rose 63%. Average congregants per priest fell from 343 to 133. Over 500 parishes closed or departed between 1985 and 2001. Further symbolic collapse came with the resignation of revisionist Bishop Richard Shimpfley (El Camino Real), whose diocese shrank from 30,000 to 12,000 under his leadership.

Griswold defiant in face of Ohio confirmations Following is my response to recent events in Ohio. By their recent action in the Diocese of Ohio, five of our retired bishops and a bishop from the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil have arrogated to themselves the right to perform episcopal and sacramental acts without the permission of the diocesan bishop. The claim that their action was pastoral and in accordance with a mandate from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates of the Anglican Communion is contradicted by the statement of the Primates last October which states quite clearly that they, "reaffirm the teaching of successive Lambeth Conferences that bishops must respect the autonomy and territorial integrity of dioceses and provinces other than their own," and that they, "call on the provinces concerned to make adequate provision for episcopal oversight of dissenting minorities within their own area of pastoral care," and that they should do so, "in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury on behalf of the Primates." Provisions for "episcopal oversight of dissenting minorities" is thus clearly a matter to be resolved by the province. That is precisely what this church is seeking to do. In consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury and his chancellor, our bishops have been considering a draft plan for episcopal pastoral care which they will address further when we gather for our spring meeting later this week in Texas. With respect to this forthcoming meeting, the Archbishop of Canterbury said in a recent letter to me, "My hope and prayer is that this meeting will offer generous and constructive ways forward within the constitutional and canonical structures of ECUSA that will guarantee Episcopal care for all and avoid further fragmentation, and the consequent distraction from our main task of proclaiming Christ." What is quite clear is that whatever pastoral response is agreed to, it must, as the Archbishop points out, be consistent with the "constitutional and canonical structures of ECUSA." Here I note that according to our Constitution: A bishop shall confine the exercise of such office to the Diocese in which elected, unless requested to perform episcopal acts in another Diocese by the Ecclesiastical Authority thereof...[Article II,Sec.3] Why, I am moved to ask, did these bishops decide that Confirmation of these persons was pastorally necessary at this moment and act without permission of the Bishop of Ohio? Given that the House of Bishops will meet later this week, I can only surmise that their intention is to co-opt the bishops' agenda and provoke a reaction that will appear sufficiently lacking in pastoral concern for "dissenting minorities" to justify what they have done in the eyes of others. I trust that they will be disappointed in their hope and that the vast majority of bishops of this church - occupying the diverse center - will find a way forward that is clear and just in its principles, pastoral in its approach and responsive to the needs of the church in this present moment. The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church, USA March 15, 2004