Ten Episcopal Church bishops who filed doctrinal charges against retired bishop Walter Righter will formally propose at the denomination's next general convention in July 1997 that all ordained clergy be required to abstain from extramarital sex.
In a May 15 ruling, an Episcopal Church court dismissed two charges against Righter, saying no canon law forbids the ordination of noncelibate homosexual clergy (CT, June 17, 1996, p. 57). On June 11, the bishops who accused Righter announced they would not appeal, but go the general convention route instead.
The ten bishops who originally brought charges against Righter for ordaining Barry Stopfel as a deacon, said they will take steps "to create a fellowship of Episcopal parishes and dioceses" to resist homosexual ordinations. The movement is led by James Stanton of Dallas, Jack Iker of Fort Worth, and John Howe of Orlando.
As with canons rejected in 1991 and 1994, the proposed canon says that all Episcopal clergy "are to abstain from sexual relations outside Holy Matrimony."
Copyright © 1996 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.
Our digital archives are a work in progress. Let us know if corrections need to be made.
Annual & Monthly subscriptions available.
- Print & Digital Issues of CT magazine
- Complete access to every article on ChristianityToday.com
- Unlimited access to 65+ years of CT’s online archives
- Member-only special issues
- Learn more
More from this Issue
Read These Next
- TrendingAmerican Christians Should Stand with Israel under AttackWhile we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
- From the MagazineWhat Kind of Man Is This?We’ve got little information on Jesus’ appearance and personality. But that’s the way God designed it.españolFrançais
- Editor's PickMike Johnson Defies GOP to Heed Evangelical Pleas for Ukraine AidAfter lobbying from fellow Southern Baptists and Christians affected by the war, the House speaker moves a package forward.