Posted on 07/16/2004 12:31:22 PM PDT by ahadams2
Six Episcopal Parishes Seek Conservative Ties
By FRANCES GRANDY TAYLOR
Courant Staff Writer
In the latest sign of the stresses tearing at a variety of denominations over social issues, six Episcopal parishes are seeking to remove their churches from the control of Bishop Andrew D. Smith, who leads the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut.
The parishes want to become aligned with a bishop outside the state, one who is part of a network of conservative Episcopal churches that have come together in opposition to the consecration last year of the church's first openly gay bishop.
This week, priests from the six churches - Christ Church in Watertown, St. John's Church in Bristol, St. Paul's Church in Darien, Trinity Church in Bristol, Christ & The Epiphany Church in East Haven, and Bishop of Seabury Church in Groton - each received a "pastoral directive" and were summoned by registered letter to meet with Smith.
[snip]
The Rev. Mark Hansen is rector of St. John's Church in Bristol, which in the wake of Robinson's approval voted in February to affiliate with the Anglican Network, a new group of "biblically orthodox" parishes.
Hansen criticized the designated oversight plan as inadequate and said it unilaterally imposes a take-it-or-leave-it approach. He said a number of specifics still need to be worked out - such as future succession of clergy at parishes under delegated oversight, which is not spelled out in the DEPO framework.
Further, it "keeps all the power in the hands of an existing bishop," Hansen said. "[Smith] doesn't relinquish one iota of power."
The bishops of the U.S. Episcopal Church are refusing to see that "reality has been radically and irrevocably altered," Hansen said. "A tectonic shift is going on, and they are trying to manage it in a business-as-usual way. ... There is a power struggle going on that transcends Bristol, a drama being played on the global stage."
(Excerpt) Read more at ctnow.com ...
Ping.
No, its not over social issues. Its over scripture, tradition etc.
I suppose a "Brooks Brothers" joke would be inappropriate.
ah, if only it were that simple!:-)
I am.
I think it would be helpful to relieve the tension.
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