Posted on 03/29/2008 4:26:10 PM PDT by sionnsar
George Conger observes that the recent depositions of John-David Schofield and William Cox were basically foregone conclusions:
US Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori failed to follow the procedural rules governing the trial of Bishop William Cox for “abandonment of the Communion” of the Episcopal Church an investigation by The Church of England Newspaper has found.
In a March 12 press conference, Bishop Schori stated she had not followed rules governing the requirement that the 88-year old retired bishop be granted a speedy trial, that he be informed of the charges against him in a timely fashion, and that the consent of the church’s senior bishops be solicited by the Presiding Bishop to suspend him from office pending trial. A subsequent investigation by CEN in conjunction with The Living Church magazine revealed an insufficient number of votes to convict were cast also.
The Bishop of Central Florida has called for a review of the proceedings, and the president of the church’s appellate court of review for the trial of bishops is understood to have agreed to look into the proceedings.
As has been pointed out previously, Kate was nailed and knew it.
At a March 12 press conference Bishop Schori outlined the procedural history surrounding the Cox case. She said the Title IV review committee had “certified [Bishop Cox] several years ago. … before her time.” She added, however, that “it was never brought to the House of Bishops for action.”
She then said she “did not send it to the three senior bishops” and the House of Bishops “did not consider it in September” at their meeting in New Orleans with the Archbishop of Canterbury due to the “the press of other business.”
Several minutes later, Bishop Schori said she wanted to “clarify” her earlier statements. She said she had been “unable to get the consent of the three senior bishops last spring. That’s why we didn’t bring it to the September meeting” of the House of Bishops.
Contacted after the press conference, one of the three senior bishops, who declined to be named, stated he had never been asked by Bishop Schori to consent to Bishop Cox’s supension.
Indianapolis' Catherine Waynick didn't even know what Cox was supposedly guilty of.
In defence of the proceedings against Bishop Cox, Indianapolis Bishop Catherine Waynick wrote that while the “canons may need to be clarified, what does not seem to need clarifying” was that “William Cox willfully violated the canons by functioning where he had been specifically asked not to.”
However, the charge brought against Bishop Cox was not violating diocesan boundaries. In 2006 Bishop Griswold dropped the charges proffered against Bishop Cox for the Kansas ordination, raising the question whether the bishops convicted him of a crime not before the bishops for adjudication.
The charge was “Abandonment of Communion,” Bishop Wantland said. The punishment for violation of diocesan boundaries “is a totally different charge. In my opinion, this is what he should have been charged with, and the procedure under Canon IV. 9. 2 was totally inappropriate and without any justification,” he said.
Why should what few remaining orthodox Episcopalians there are care about this? Because if Mark Harris is any indication, a lot of Episcopal liberals think a "screw the rules" purge would be a grand idea.
It is reasonably certain that nothing will satisfy the dissenters. But there are a wide range of Episcopalians who are concerned that when the struggles are over that there will continue to be a broad church base that includes people from across the spectrum of opinion on a variety of issues. This is not a time to "get rid" of troublemakers. It is a time to say to those who will not or cannot abide this Church that they are released from this community. This is a time to embrace all who are willing to continue to live in the same house with all our differences and understandings, and to the rest say goodbye. The Presiding Bishop will need the very best from staff to make sure what is done is done well. At the same time the staff will have to work with others to provide a robust defense of the sweeping.
It is a time to sweep house in the hopes that this Church might be a community unencumbered by those who believe the Episcopal Church is anti-Christ, or heretical, or unredeemable and unorthodox, or defunct. It is time to invite those who believe such things to leave. It is time to name those who have already left.
I'm done with the Episcopal Organization so the dishonesty of that Unitarian sect no longer bothers me. But any orthodox Christians left in the EO should be under no illusions. If and when they want you out, they'll find a way. Regardless of what their own canons happen to say.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Just as Nero Fiddled while Rome burned, the ECUSA is absorbed with the details of its devolution. The pope, alone in the christian world is actively seeking a way to defuse isalmic fundamentalism. Where are the protesant denominations? Are they too busy self-justifying their existence to lend a hand?
I agree with you that the Pope's firm moral engagement with Islam is unique in the Christian world, but it's not fair to generalize about protestant denominations, many of whom are engaged in missionary work in Islamic lands, at the risk of martyrdom. The Episcopal Church is beyond corruption and is now being run by people of the same character and motivation as the Clintons. For them, the Episcopal Church is nothing but a vehicle for personal power and wealth. At some point after these people are destroyed by their own ambition, there will be pieces to pick up, not necessarily among the continuing and overseas primate denominations, but within what remains of TEC itself. Perhaps it will be at a public auction.
And this includes Anglicans, in many countries of Africa and the Middle East. The Catholic Church is unique in having a visible head whose single gesture has worldwide, resounding significance. However, evangelicals and pentecostals and even Methodists and Presbyterians are literally dying to convert Moslems to Christianity, with considerable success. (Both the dying and the conversions ...)
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