FORT WORTH: Group forms to 'set forth the true position of traditional and orthodox Episcopalians'
Episcopal News Service. May 27, 2008 [052708-02]
A group of local Episcopalians has formed an organization to respond to what they call a "proliferation of misinformation" concerning conflict between the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and the Episcopal Church.
Remain Faithful said in a news release that it has taken steps to organize as a non-profit corporation "with the stated purpose of setting forth the true position of traditional and orthodox Episcopalians in this diocese who believe TEC no longer stands for the historic faith."
"Remain Faithful looks forward to stating clearly the positions of orthodox Episcopalians -- and in particular orthodox lay Episcopalians," Chad Bates, the group’s chairman, said in the news release. "We stand alongside our orthodox clergy in support of our shared beliefs and feel the time has come for an organization led by the laity to uphold our traditional faith in unequivocal terms. We welcome all who share our beliefs or who want to learn more about what we stand for."
Bates said "there has been some confusion about what we stand for as orthodox Episcopalians, and we look forward to clarifying our position," adding that the organization is preparing a detailed position paper.
"There are many within The Episcopal Church membership who have been told that the differences of opinion in our Church are primarily about women’s ordination or the views of a few bishops," Cora Werley, a spokesperson for the group, said in the release. "We know this is not true. There are much more fundamental issues involved, and we look forward to clearly sharing our beliefs and uncovering the issues in a Christ-like manner."
Bates attends St. Peter & St. Paul Episcopal Church in Arlington, Texas, and Werley is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, according to the news release.
The group appears to be a counter to the Steering Committee North Texas Episcopalians, which is opposed to efforts to align the diocese with a province of the Anglican Communion other than the Episcopal Church. That group announced its existence in late April.
Delegates to Fort Worth's convention last November gave the first of two required approvals of canonical changes to amend its constitution and remove accession to the Constitution and Canons of General Convention, as well as several canonical amendments that eliminate mention of the Episcopal Church.
Fort Worth Bishop Jack Iker and the diocesan Standing Committee have said that "the structure and polity of the [Anglican] Province of the Southern Cone would afford our diocese greater self-determination than we currently have under the General Convention of The Episcopal Church."
The Southern Cone has about 22,000 members and encompasses Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Its provincial synod, meeting in Valpariso, Chile, November 5-7, 2007, agreed to welcome into the province "on an emergency and pastoral basis" Episcopal Church dioceses "taking appropriate action to separate from The Episcopal Church."
The Forth Worth diocesan convention is set to vote on the constitutional changes for a second time when the convention meets in November.