A strongly worded statement by the 10 bishops who brought presentment charges against Bishop Walter Righter was issued following the decision by the Court for the Trial of a Bishop to dismiss the charges against Bishop Righter [TLC, June 2].

The presenter bishops' statement was among many reactions received by TLC after its June 2 issue went to press. It called the court's decision "precisely what the 10 presenters anticipated and predicted it would be. It is, nevertheless, stunning in the breadth of its implications.

"In a single pronouncement," the statement continued, "it has swept away two millennia of Christian teaching regarding God's purposes in creation, the nature and meaning of marriage and the family, the discipleship in relation to sexuality to which we are called as followers of Jesus, the paradigm of the church as bride and Christ as bridegroom; and it has rendered inoperative the consistent pronouncements of the General Convention, the House of Bishops, the Presiding Bishop and his Council of Advice, the House of Bishops of the Church of England, the Lambeth Conference and the wider Anglican Communion, and it has abandoned the shared understanding of the overwhelming majority of Christians down through the ages and throughout the world."

The Episcopal Women's Caucus was far more positive about the fact that charges of teaching false doctrine and violation of ordination vows had been dismissed against Bishop Righter after the court found there was no doctrine prohibiting the ordination of non-celibate homosexuals.

"The Episcopal Women's Caucus rejoices at the decision rendered by the Court for the Trial of a Bishop," the caucus's statement said. "We especially rejoice with our lesbian sisters and gay brothers in this affirmation of the gift of their ministries in our church."

The Rev. Samuel Edwards, executive director of the Episcopal Synod of America (ESA), issued a statement which said ESA "will not recognize a church court's decision claiming that the Episcopal Church has no teaching which prevents the ordination of practicing homosexuals." Fr. Edwards also raised the possibility that the decision will result in a break in communion between Episcopalians who accept it and those who do not.

The Rt. Rev. Claude Payne, Diocese of Texas, said he was disappointed in the decision, "but we shouldn't allow it to divert the creative thrust of mission in our church."

The Very Rev. Mark Sisk, dean of Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, was quoted by the Chicago Tribune, "As I read it, this is essentially handing it to the General Convention for any further action."

The Rt. Rev. Jerry Winterrowd, Bishop of Colorado, issued a statement shared by many: "It is my hope that we can put the issue behind us and move on with the main business of the church."