San Diego: St. Anne's Church votes to quit Episcopal Diocese

VirtueOnline-News ^ | 2/02/2007

[sionnsar]

St. Anne's Church in Oceanside has become the second congregation in two months to break away from the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego as part of an unfolding national rift over homosexuality, theology and biblical authority.

The church voted by a 97 percent majority on Sunday to no longer be affiliated with the U.S. Episcopal Church and this diocese, according to the Rev. Anthony Baron, St. Anne's rector.

Baron said the 250-member church will continue to be part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion and will be under the jurisdictional oversight of Bishop Frank Lyons of Bolivia, a conservative who rankled U.S. bishops in November when he ordained three deacons and a priest to serve new congregations in this country.

"We are Anglicans and that's important to us," Baron said.

A spokesman for San Diego Bishop James Mathes called the decision a "totally unannounced and unexpected thing."

"This bishop feels very called to reconciliation and it's very regrettable that the conversation couldn't continue," said Howard Smith, the diocese's communications officer.

Controversy over the blessing of same-sex unions and the 2003 election of the first openly gay bishop, Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, has sparked the splintering.

The Episcopal Church, a Protestant denomination with 2.3 million members, is the U.S. branch of the 77-million-member Anglican communion.

Baron said yesterday that while the homosexuality issues have received the most publicity, the chief concern for his congregation was "the very essence of the Gospel."

Among his complaints: Episcopal bishops who say Jesus wasn't divine and don't believe in his physical resurrection.

In December, the Rev. Keith Acker resigned as rector of Christ the King Episcopal Church in Alpine to start a new church under the conservative Anglican Province of America.

While Acker's services are held at Alpine Elementary School, the Oceanside congregation doesn't plan to leave its facility.

That stance has led to court fights elsewhere in the country, although an Orange County judge recently rejected a bid by the denomination to take control of three churches that realigned themselves with a Ugandan bishop.

[sionnsar]

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[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I left the Episcopal Church about 40 years ago because it had become a left wing social club.

I now only attend home Bible study groups.

[Not A Snowbird]

the Oceanside congregation doesn't plan to leave its facility.

I wish them luck with that. I'm attending the Falls Church while I'm out here, and they've also stayed in their facility. The Diocese is being very heavy handed with them about the property. Very messy.

[sionnsar]

I will just note that not all of (P)ECUSA was such, and in some places even today still is not.

[bpjam]

Good for them. The Anglicans decided to destroy their church and they left local congregations no choice other than to defect. Welcome to the end of Anglicanism.

[servantboy777]

"Welcome to the end of Anglicanism".

For cryin out loud, Christianity in the Anglican tradition is very alive and well.

The Orthodox are leaving the heretical Episcopal church and returning closer to their true Anglican roots.

Praise God!!!!

[PAR35]

a "totally unannounced and unexpected thing

Probably a smart move by the parish, if true, but while the 'unannounced' makes sense, I can't believe that it would be 'unexpected' to the Bishop.

[Huber]

These churches are not leaving Anglicanism, but only liberal Episcopalianism. There are approximately 70 million Anglicans worldwide. The Episcopal Church has fewer than a million active congregants. While the Episcopal church has Anglican roots and claims to still be Anglican, there are many who question whether it has retained an Anglican character at all, let alone a Christian one. The local churches are defecting from the Episcopal Church which has lost its grounding in traditional Christianity and is losing its relationship with much of Anglican Christianity. They are defecting to other Anglican provinces that remain orthodox.

[ken5050]

Good morning...if, as the bishop is quoted as saying, the parish's action was "totally unannounced and unexpected" to him, then either he has his head in the clouds, or up his a**, or both...

[sionnsar]

Welcome to the end of Anglicanism. The Episcopal Church.

There. Fixed it.

[bpjam]

thank you for the correction. I appreciate you noticing that I meant no offense. and helping me from causing offense by my mislabeling.

[Professional Engineer]

There. Fixed it.

bttt