Posted on 01/15/2006 5:41:25 AM PST by billorites
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut on Saturday removed a priest from his duties in a clash over the elevation of a gay bishop in New Hampshire.
Connecticut Bishop Andrew D. Smith stripped Mark H. Hansen, formerly of St. John's Church in Bristol, "of the right to exercise the office of priest in the Episcopal church."
Smith acted six months after Hansen's "inhibition," or suspension, that began July 13.
"It's a very sad day," Smith said in an interview Saturday.
Diocesan officials said last year that Hansen was suspended because he took an unauthorized sabbatical and St. John's had stopped making payments on a loan for its building. Hansen maintained he notified Smith about his plans.
Smith said it was his duty to remove Hansen because the priest failed to meet conditions including recanting his behavior or statements that led to the inhibition. Hansen also could have denied the basis on which the inhibition was imposed and the bishop would have decided if the denial was in good faith, Smith said.
Hansen, who resigned his priesthood in September, refused to meet with Smith, the bishop said.
A message was left with St. John's Church. There was no home phone listing for Hansen.
The conflict stems from Smith's support for the Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the church's first openly gay bishop. Robinson's consecration in 2003 has divided the U.S. Episcopal Church and expanded the rift over gay issues among churches in the global Anglican Communion.
"The controversies are still there. This is not about the controversy," Smith said. "This is about his abandonment of the relationship he has as a priest with the bishop. People disagree with me (over Robinson) and do not abandon their relationship with the bishop."
A diocese committee of clergy and lay leaders determined last March that Hansen and five other priests abandoned communion of the church and referred the matter to Smith, he said. He has not yet decided on action against the five other priests, who have been threatened with suspension.
"My hope is for reconciliation," he said.
The other priests are the Rev. Christopher Leighton of St. Paul's Church in Darien, the Rev. Allyn Benedict of Christ Episcopal Church in Watertown, the Rev. Ronald Gauss of Bishop Seabury Church in Groton, the Rev. Gilbert Wilkes of Christ and the Epiphany Church in East Haven and the Rev. Don Helmandollar of Trinity Church in Bristol.
The six parishes sought last May to be supervised by a different bishop because of their dispute with Smith over Robinson.
In addition, six parishes and five of their priests - excluding Hansen - filed a federal lawsuit last September alleging that the priests threatened with suspension were fraudulently charged with abandoning communion and denied due process because they were not tried in religious courts.
The plaintiffs also contend that diocesan officials violated state law when they took over St. John's Church in July and appointed a priest to fill in for Hansen.
Smith said Saturday his decision removing Hansen was not related to the lawsuit.
To all. This thread was previously pinged several weeks ago. The new ping is for Jocko's post to posts above
They say Episcopalians are bad at Chess because they can't tell the difference between a Bishop and a Queen.
I have never read a reasonable response to your question although I have heard it asked numerous times.
It can't be the Word of God, because it is made quite plain that homosexuality is verboten if for no other reason than that it tarnishes the image of God.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." (Gen 1:27)
It seems like the same spirit that infected Sodom and Gomorrah has found its way into the organized church. These errant "priests" have no right or authority to be leaders in any church organization whatsoever.
There was never a three-legged stool. If you look here, you find the following:
“What Scripture doth plainly deliver, to that first place both of credit and obedience is due; the next whereunto is whatsoever any man can necessarily conclude by force of reason; after these the voice of the Church succeedeth. That which the Church by her ecclesiastical authority shall probably think and define to be true or good, must in congruity of reason over-rule all other inferior judgments whatsoever” ( Laws, Book V, 8:2; Folger Edition 2:39,8-14).
In other words, Scripture is paramount. Reason is second to Scripture, and is used as applied to Scripture, not independent of it. Tradition then follows as being dependent on the first two. It's a series of dependencies, where each one follows from the previous one. It's not a three-legged stool, where each leg is independent and equal in importance to the other.
Yes...on your knees, sinner!
Repent, Bishop Smith!!!
They, like all liberals, believe their authority comes from their college degree. They think they've earned it. They are so self-absorbed and besotted with their theological discourse, that they have become completely disconnected from the meaning of "preaching the word of God".
Their logic is this: "Hey, I have a degree in theology==> I went to Seminary ==> I was ordained ==> I'm qualified."
YES!!!!!!
Sorry you wasted that much typing in response to a wry observation. I suppose there can be some consolation in that it will prevent someone from being led into error by my comments.
I am on the search committee for my ECUSA parish. A candidate for our position used the "three-legged stool" reference. That got me to look it up.
I wa s too a few years ago. The diocese may have screened out Priests that were conservative. The one we called was one of those on the list the diocese said matched the computer. The coordinator in charge told us misleading information about his past. By coincidence a member of the calling committee knew the Church he was and got the truth. He was voted unanimously afetr his interview. If we had relied on the diocese information we would have crossed him off the list from the start. Oh yeah, he is considered conservative.
I'm in the Diocese of Chicago. The candidates we are seeing are first vetted by the diocese. Both our Bishops voted for ordaining Bp. Robinson.
You don't believe Christ saves you? It has nothing to do with doing "What I Want", it's not about the sinner, it's about what Christ did. Stop listening to the Lie.
God does NOT tolerate sin, man INHERENTLY is a sinner. So what did God do because he loves us so much, sent his son to take our place. If you love God, I think you would want to try to DO things to show him you love him and that would be obeying his word, but everyone falls short, thus Christ, has HIT THE MARK!!
If you want to have a relationship with God you have to obey him, but Christ is the one who saves, not any one trying to do good enough like the Parasees and Saducess...(sp)
Stop thinking there's something YOU can do to earn salvation, you can't be good enough, nor can you be bad enough. Honor God, obey his word, and trust Christ's sacrafice is sufficient enough to bridge the great divide.
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