The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin has deposed 61 priests and deacons for affiliating with the Church of the Province of the Southern Cone.However the May 26 statement by the reconstituted Episcopal Diocese may be an own goal in its legal fight with the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin, as it appears to undermine its claim that it is a properly constituted diocese of the Episcopal Church.
On May 26, San Joaquin Bishop Jerry Lamb stated he was heartbroken, but had been “forced” to remove the clergy from the rolls of the Episcopal Church. They had chosen “to abandon their relationship with the Episcopal Church. They declined to ask for a release from their ordination vows, and I had no option but to bring the charges of Abandonment of the Communion to the Standing Committee last year and take these final steps today. It is a sad day.”
A statement released by the diocese said the clergy who followed Bishop John-David Schofield into the Province of the Southern Cone and had refused to acknowledge the authority of Bishop Lamb “were determined to have abandoned the Communion of the Episcopal Church in October and November 2008. The clergy had six months to deny their abandonment, recant, or renounce their ministry in the Episcopal Church or face removal or deposition from the ministry of the Episcopal Church.”
A special convention called by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori in March 2008 to reorganize the diocese and elect Bishop Lamb drew 21 clergy.
The 61 clergy who did not attend the meeting remained members in good standing of the diocese until charges were proffered in October and November 2008.
Canon 3.01 of the diocese states that a “quorum shall consist of one-third of all the clergy entitled to seats and votes...If a quorum be not present at any convention, no business shall be transacted except that of adjournment from time to time until a quorum shall be present.”
The absence of the 61 clergy in good standing prevented a quorum from being reached, and subsequently renders Bishop Lamb’s election void ab initio, supporters of Bishop Schofield have charged---a contention supporters of Bishop Lamb have just as vigorously denied.
It was with a “mixture of sadness and joy” that Bishop Schofield received the news of the depositions. While it was “heartbreaking” that the Episcopal Church had proceeded with “such a punitive action,” it had no real significance as “all of these men and women are recognized around the world as priests and deacons in good standing within the Anglican Communion.”
“Clearly, the traditional understanding of what it means to be a member of this historic Communion has been tragically altered by this action,” Bishop Schofield said, “and thereby the Episcopal Church needlessly isolates itself from their brothers and sisters around the world.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Source (RI)
SV (ED)