Episcopal Synod of America Outlines Expansion Strategy
Episcopal News Service. November 22, 1989 [89239]
Richard L. Walker, Reporter for Reuters News Service in Atlanta
ATLANTA, Nov. 22 -- The newly formed Episcopal Synod of America (ESA) unveiled an ambitious expansion strategy aimed at propagating and evangelizing its traditionalist cause during two days of meetings at a local hotel on November 9 and 10.
The Texas-based group, formed last June in Ft. Worth by church leaders who rejected the recent consecration of Bishop Barbara Harris of Boston as first woman bishop in world Anglicanism, adopted a $700,000 program operating budget for 1990 and named several task forces, including one that will work to form new congregations in areas regarded as "hostile" to their cause.
The meeting of about 45 members of the ESA's legislative body was the group's first. It came six weeks after the Episcopal House of Bishops meeting in Philadelphia declared that opponents of women's ordination hold "a recognized theological position" within Anglicanism and are "loyal members of the family." At the same time, the bishops reaffirmed majority support for women clergy and welcomed Bishop Harris to their ranks.
ESA president Bishop Clarence Pope, Jr., of Ft. Worth told his group that he had received letters of "heavy condemnation" as well as support since the Philadelphia meeting because the House of Bishop's statement was "confusing and sent signals that can be interpreted in contrasting ways."
In an address, Pope added that traditionalists were able to win recognition despite "a strong minority of bishops in the house who did not want the adoption of such a statement because it gave us our necessary place in the American church and assured our future within the Anglican Communion. "For us, this was all that mattered since it is the expressed and official position of the synod that we are to carry out our mission within the Episcopal Church unless we are forced out, a prospect that we must never forget," he said.
The ESA president also appealed for greater tolerance on all sides, asking, "Is it not possible in this age of ecumenism to be close friends with those with whom we disagree on very basic issues...? I am afraid that many of us in the past have developed and harbored hatred for those who have been so successful in moving the Episcopal Church away from her roots."
Bishop Pope told the meeting that "... we share much with those with whom we disagree fundamentally. If our mission is to prosper, we must confess our own shortcomings and do all we can to work in any appropriate way with those of the majority in the Episcopal Church while not compromising our principles. Though our communion is impaired, a relationship still exists and we must try to work around issues for the benefit of all."
Evangelism is the key to ESA's future, the bishop asserted, so that "we should not so much seek to reverse certain decisions of General Convention but rather to make them irrelevant, gradually recovering lost ground by proclaiming the truth of the Gospel as we believe we have believed it and establish new work. Replacement theology is what we are talking about, and that will require much hard work and a generous supply of patience."
The ESA, Pope said, must also see its mission in "much broader terms than in finding ways for ESA bishops to cross jurisdictional boundaries, a fixation to which every one of us has been attached."
Pope said that the group remains committed to providing "sacramental episcopal visitations in other jurisdictions" and that some visits had already been made "with the consent of the [diocesan bishops] involved."
The bishop declined during a subsequent interview to be specific on where such visits have occurred because arrangements for them had been carried out through private, unpublicized "bishop-to-bishop" conversations. However, Pope noted, "Negotiations have not been concluded satisfactorily" in the call by a traditionalist parish in the Diocese of Dallas for a confirmation visit by an outside ESA bishop that was refused by the local bishop.
Officials of the Diocese of Dallas, when consulted on this matter, indicated that they regard the matter as "closed."
While sacramental visits are key, Pope told ESA leaders, their group must not overlook "the important episcopal ministry of presence and teaching...[which] could be employed immediately throughout the church without raising jurisdictional questions."
Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning has offered repeated assurances that ESA has every right to exist and to "evangelize openly and freely," Pope said, and "private conversations with several bishops in the past 10 days lead me to be more hopeful for the future. However, in saying all this I must strike a note of caution in that such a radical turnaround in such a short time may be short-lived. As we begin to do things rather than talk about them, we may find the going much tougher than present conversations would indicate," he added.
During two days of meetings, delegates were also told that about 15,000 people had signed the ESA's declaration, with "more coming in every day," according to Bishop William Wantland of Eau Claire. These will form the basis for ESA's next major fund appeal, he said.
Wantland said that the names of about 50 signers were confidential because "[these] would be put in an untenable position if their names were disclosed." He noted that "it's very difficult to operate as if we're a secret spy operation. The Christian faith isn't exactly something we want to keep secret."
Considerable attention and debate came over methods for starting new traditionalist congregations or ESA groups in so-called "hostile territory," which, delegates were told, could range from seeking to form parochial or diocesan missions to simple Bible study groups.
The group also asked for drafting of guidelines and principles for parishes desiring the ministrations of a traditionalist bishop.
Wantland said that there was no question that an ESA bishop would be sent to confirm in the unlikely case of a parish that felt a woman bishop its members do not recognize was being forced upon it. However, he noted that the ESA has no interest in intervening in "personality disputes" between parishes and their bishops where the issue of the ordination of women is "used as an excuse." Most difficult to gauge, he said, is the "middle ground where pastoral relations have broken down."
There was also discussion of plans to use the Rose Hill estate -- a site in Aiken, South Carolina, being donated to the ESA -- as a study and conference center. Task forces or commissions were also set up to deal with public relations, "political strategy," social issues, ecumenical relations, doctrine, education, ascetics, women, liturgy and music, ESA relations with Nashotah House seminary, and "maintenance of ministry in loyal parishes."
Bishop Edward MacBurney of the Diocese of Quincy, ESA's vice-president, said in an interview that there was "little doubt" that the group would raise its proposed $700,000 budget. "There's a number of people with a lot of money who want to support something like this."
Though ESA wants to evangelize non-Christians, MacBurney said, the greatest potential for evangelism lies with "those who dropped out of the Episcopal Church because they felt it no longer taught what they believed but [who] in their heart of hearts are still Anglican."
Asked how ESA's efforts would be receive in so-called "hostile territory, MacBurney said that liberal bishops could take heart if theESA succeeds in their areas because "they may end up with more Episcopalians, more churches, more income. We would end up with more supporters. We'd both win."