Fort Worth breaks away from US Episcopal Church

Fort Worth in Texas became the fourth diocese to depart from The Episcopal Church in the US (TEC) in a vote at its convention on Saturday.

Fort Worth, which oversees more than 50 parishes, will join the Dioceses of Pittsburgh, Quincy, and San Jaoquin in realigning with the Argentina-based Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.

The departure follows a lengthy struggle with the TEC over its liberal position on crux issues like homosexuality, the authority of Scripture and the uniqueness of Christ.

Speaking after the vote to reporters, the Bishop of Fort Worth, the Rt Rev Jack Iker was quoted by Anglicans United as saying: “This was an historic convention and there were no surprises.”

He added, “Now that the decision is made, I hope it freezes some of the controversy we have had the past year. We need to get back to mission.”

Bishop Iker said it was “inevitable” that TEC would order a same-sex marriage rite.

“Soon after that, it will be mandatory in all dioceses.”

When asked if he had a message for Fort Worth parishes, he answered, “I would tell them that God loves you and so do I. God is good all the time and it is His church, not mine; and not TEC’s. You just can’t have official teaching of the Church denigrating the foundations of the faith.”

Bishop Iker was joined by Bishop William Godfrey of Peru, who said that the behaviour of TEC in consecrating the openly gay Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire had been “scandalous”.

“Now I suppose Bishop Iker will be deposed by supposed adherence to canon law. It is scandalous,” he added.

Bishop Iker denied that the Southern Cone had done wrong in extending oversight to Fort Worth and other orthodox dioceses within TEC.

“The whole issue of border crossings is a red herring,” he said. “Honduras, a diocese in Central America, is in TEC. Is that provincial border crossing? What about Taiwan in Asia. They are part of TEC. Isn’t that provincial border crossing? What about Columbia in South America? Isn’t it a border incursion for TEC to pick up dioceses that were bought and paid for? Doesn’t TEC pay the vast majority of their expenses now?”

Added Bishop Godfrey, “The Southern Cone did not cross borders … I see the Southern Cone used all over now in an accusatory fashion and it is a bad understanding of what we are about. It is a negative characterisation of very good, honourable, orthodox people.”