Posted on 03/12/2005 8:19:56 AM PST by sionnsar
A group of clergy has broken sacramental ties with the diocesan bishop in an unprecedented revolt against his liberal views on homosexuality, The Telegraph has learnt.
In what could be the start of an escalating conflict, at least eight conservative clerics have told the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev John Gladwin, that they will refuse to share Holy Communion with him. They are furious that the bishop and five of his colleagues sent a letter to a national newspaper earlier this week announcing their determined support for liberal Anglicans in North America.
The group could prove the tip of an iceberg because 100 priests in the diocese - more than a fifth of the total -signed a statement in November expressing unease about the liberal drift of the Anglican Church.
One of the group, the Rev John Richardson, said yesterday that he thought that their numbers could swell significantly over the next few weeks.
He said that a number of conservative parishes would not be able to participate in services of confirmation, baptism or communion with Bishop Gladwin.
"We have never had a collective group of clergy out of sacramental fellowship with their bishop since the 17th century", said Mr Richardson, a minister in Henham, Elsenham and Ugley, Essex.
"While this is not the end of the road, it is one of the most serious protests we could make short of leaving the Church."
The Rev Richard Farr, the priest in charge at the parish, added: "We want Bishop John to admit that he's made a mistake and for him to step back from what he has said. As far as we are concerned, we are now in a position of fractured communion."
According to observers, the protest could spread to other dioceses, a development that would alarm the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
It follows the meeting of Anglican primates in Northern Ireland last month at which the North Americans were asked to withdraw from a key council because they had defied official Church policy over homosexuality.
Conservative primates had demanded discipline against them because of the consecration in the United States of Anglicanism's first openly homosexual bishop and the authorisation of blessings for same-sex unions in Canada.
A spokesman for the bishop said yesterday that he was unavailable for comment.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Amazing how one or two percent of the population can cause so much destruction.
Their last big "disfellowship" (a good Baptist word) was in connection with the English Civil War.
Isn't that the "flying bishops" program, and isn't that still under the purview of C of E?
What's happening in the U.S. is somewhat farther along - the parishes and priests are coming under the wing of bishops from outside the territorial jurisdiction (Africa and Southern Cone) - the local bishops in response have inhibited and defrocked a number of the priests involved.
"We have never had a collective group of clergy out of sacramental fellowship with their bishop since the 17th century", said Mr Richardson, a minister in Henham, Elsenham and Ugley, Essex.
The Puritans shall rise again!
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