Posted on 12/09/2006 8:31:02 AM PST by sionnsar
The Rt. Rev'd S. Johnson Howard
Episcopal Diocese of Florida
325 Market St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Rt. Rev'd Sir:
I have received a "Pronouncement of Release of Obligation of Priests and Deprivation of Right to Exercise the Gifts and Spiritual Authority Conferred in Ordination" signed by you and others and dated November 27, 2006. It seems this dismissive missive is intended to deprive me of my right to exercise ordained ministry. The ground of this proposed deprivation is my supposed "abandonment of the communion of this church." With all due respect, the grounds of my deposition are not valid.
I have neither abandoned the communion of this church nor have I renounced my orders as a priest in this church. I have continued to exercise ordained ministry within this communion and, by God's grace and gifting, I will continue to do so.
I am an ordained member of the Anglican Communion. I exercise my ministry under the authority of Anglican Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini, Primate of L'Eglise Episcopal au Rwanda, a province of the Anglican Church in full communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Given these facts, the only situation in which it can be considered that I have "abandoned the communion of this church" is if the Episcopal Diocese of Florida itself is no longer a member of the Anglican Communion. While it is well known that the Episcopal Diocese of Florida (and indeed the Episcopal Church in the United States) has been moving away from the rest of the Anglican Communion, I was unaware the break had become official.
If, of course, you still consider yourself and the Episcopal Diocese of Florida to be part of the Anglican Communion, I don't see how I can be considered to have abandoned that communion.
Fortunately, Archbishop Kolini will be at Grace Church on January 21, 2007, to preach, baptize, confirm, and celebrate. I am sure he would be willing to affirm the validity of my status as an ordained person in the Anglican Communion with you at that time. Also, providentially, at least eight other archbishops of the Anglican Communion (all of whom recognize the validity of my orders) will be in Jacksonville about that same time. If you would like, I will try to set a time with them to discuss the validity of my orders within the communion of this church.
In the meantime, please correct the false impression you have left with so many that I have abandoned the communion of the church.
Yours,
The Rev'd Dr. Sam C. Pascoe
Rector,
Grace Church (Anglican)
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. That's alliteration - and yes, his letter is magnificent! He has told the truth and TEC can't handle it. Oh, well.....
MY bad..didn't proof my post..thanks for the correction..
Good.
Fight back.
Fight.
Don't give the Devil an inch.
The African and other Christian archbishops should extend the courtesy of sending a letter to Howard acknowledging his withdrawal from the Anglican communion.
I'd send the Rt Reverend a bag of sand and a hammer.
L
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