Episcopal Conservatives Form New Synod

A group of dissident Episcopal bishops, clergy, and laity has formed an “Episcopal Synod of America” as an orthodox island in a more liberal Episcopal sea. Meeting June 1–3 in Fort Worth, Texas, up to 2,000 Episcopal traditionalists formed a “church within a church” to give themselves a more powerful lobbying voice. The synod created a legal entity—complete with officers, delegates, a constitution, and an annual meeting—that does not violate Episcopal canon law. Delegates elected Fort Worth Bishop Clarence Pope as president.

The synod was organized by the Evangelical and Catholic Mission (ECM), a caucus of Episcopal traditionalists who opposed the ordination of women and liberal trends in the 2.4 million-member denomination. When the ECM learned of the September 26, 1988, election of Barbara Harris as the Episcopal suffragan (assistant) bishop of Massachusetts, they announced the synod, saying, “The final crisis of the Episcopal Church is upon us.”

Most of their concerns line up with an evangelical agenda: biblical orthodoxy, personal morality, marital fidelity, and a stand against radical feminist theology. Aside from Harris, they are upset with other events taking place within the church, such as Newark Bishop John Spong’s announcement that he had worshiped before a Buddhist shrine last November, and plans in some dioceses to bless same-sex marriages.

Liberal Trend?

The synod got little public reaction from Presiding Episcopal Bishop Edmond Browning until he sent out a May 19 letter to all Episcopal clergy saying that he “affirmed” the synod but rejected their conclusions that the denomination is disintegrating and in crisis.

The view from Fort Worth differed. London Bishop Graham Leonard, long a foe of women’s ordination, said the trend toward liberalism in the 70 million-member Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church is but one segment, has gone on for 25 years.

“There is a massive realignment taking place throughout the world in all the churches,” Leonard said, “between those who believe the gospel as it is revealed and those who believe the gospel should be modified to suit each successive generation.” Leonard, along with other foreign bishops at the synod, told the traditionalists that Anglicans from around the world look to them for leadership. Leonard, 68, is due to retire in two years.

The synod divided the country into six districts, assigning each an ECM bishop. They will be aided by 20 retired bishops. Although Pope estimates that as many as 45 percent of all Episcopalians side with them, ECM has a mailing list of only 11,000. However, 16,000 people have signed a declaration of common faith in line with biblical orthodoxy and a male-only priesthood. Any parish can join the synod by a vote of its vestry; whole dioceses can join the synod through a resolution adopted at diocesan conventions.

Synod delegates passed several resolutions, including a controversial one on “episcopal visitors” that is sure to create comment at the September House of Bishops meeting in Philadelphia. The resolution basically makes it easier for traditionalist bishops to visit congregations under the jurisdiction of a female bishop or a male bishop opposed to traditionalist views. This crossing of diocesan lines may provoke an uproar similar to when London’s Leonard visited an Oklahoma congregation in 1986 and confirmed several of its members over the protests of its diocesan bishop. The six active diocesan bishops at the synod said they were prepared to take similar action on behalf of traditionalist congregations.

“If we have to choose between canonical obedience and conscience, we’ll be forced to choose conscience,” said Eau Claire, Wisconsin Bishop William Wantland.

Synod organizers said they were not interested in schism, as the history of splinter movements in the Episcopal Church has not been a good one. In fact, several bishops from various splinter or “continuing” churches, as well as older denominations such as the Reformed Episcopal Church, attended the synod in hopes of finding ways to link up with the traditionalists. Organizers said they wished they had convened the synod 12 years ago to help stem an exodus of one million persons from the Episcopal Church in the past two decades.

“The hour is late. Very late,” said Quincy, Illinois, Bishop Edward MacBurney. “It is, in reality, the bottom of the ninth. We were either to field a team or we would lose the game by forfeit.”

By Julia Duin, in Fort Worth.

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