Six Episcopal Priests Stand Firm Against Liberal Bishop in US

The case of the six Episcopal priests has been continually stirring the Connecticut Diocese of the Episcopal Church for several months now. Since the consecration of Robinson in 2003, the six priests and the Bishop of Connecticut diocese have been locked in theological opposition.

After the elevation of gay Bishop Robinson, the six Connecticut priests stopped their payments of the diocesan dues and rejected the authority of Bishop Smith, asking to be placed under the supervision of a new Bishop who would better understand their views.

In an attempt to resolve the situation Bishop Smith offered another Bishop of his own choice, but the selection was refused by the six.

The six priests are still leading their congregation each Sunday, but Bishop Smith said in his latest interview to the local radio station, he views this simply as the fight to gain control over the Church. He said they are already out of the communion with their churches, and if they will not obey, they will be suspended or removed from their ministries: "If they will continue they will be excommunicated from the Anglican Communion."

Expressing this may be painful; he says he has no other choice but to remove them from their ministries. However, now he hopes time can heal the wound caused by the issue.

The six priests are remaining firm in their opinions: "We cannot endorse the practices which we believe to be in contrary to the scripture, because we believe it is the God's word not something what just human beings made up." says the Rev. Allyn Benedict of Christ Church in Watertown.

Rev Benedict says the Bishop Smith was wrong, because Bible says homosexuality is wrong: "It is not open to a discussion to us, not because we are close minded but because we are Christians and Bible is our sacred text."

Rev. Benedict and the other five priests have huge support from conservative colleagues as well as from their congregations. Even though Bishop Smith said in the interview it is small group among the Connecticut diocese, last year, many churches withdrew from the U.S. Episcopal Church after being dismayed by its new direction.