Episcopal Church Congregations Appeal to Rowan Williams in Gay Bishop Row

Six congregations in America have appealed directly to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams regarding the views of their bishops towards the consecration of gay clergy.

The congregations are extremely upset that their respective leading bishops have not spoken out firmly against the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson in New Hampshire, USA in 2003; an issue that has brought the worldwide Anglican Communion to the brink of a complete schism.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Williams has been asked by the congregations to find them a new leader, one that will reflect their beliefs and the traditional Church stance of not allowing homosexual bishops in the Church.

One letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury told how the congregation was “in serious theological dispute” with their presiding bishop, and said how it was now impossible for them to remain under his leadership.

Rev Sam Pascoe, who is the rector at Grace Church in Orange Park, USA, reported how the churches were urgently requiring the assistance of the Anglican head so that they could again conduct their ministries “with a clean conscience”.

The churches are greatly opposed to the 2003 consecration on Bishop Gene Robinson by the Episcopal Church of the USA (ECUSA).

Together, the group of churches represent approximately 4,000 parishioners in a diocese, and that includes 77 congregations and about 35,000 members in 25 counties in northeast Florida, USA.

One of the bishops in the centre of the dispute is Bishop Howard, who last week also personally rejected requests from the congregations that he temporarily assign another bishop. Howard told them that if he did that it would represent a “divorce” between the churches and the diocese.

This led to congregations just days ago taking their request directly to Dr Williams himself, and as of yet no response has been given.