The division in the Diocese of New Jersey between supporters of the bishop and those calling for his resignation was clear when the diocesan convention met March 13-14 in Atlantic City.

The Rt. Rev. Joe Morris Doss, Bishop of New Jersey, emphasized that he has no intention of resigning, even though his supporters were not elected to various offices in convention business sessions.

"It's a divided house, and we have (to do) a lot of work to have the kind of communion that God is calling us to," Bishop Doss said to reporters. "The leadership I'm providing is open-armed, inclusive and accepting of everyone."

"I think the convention gave Bishop Doss a message that should be loud and clear, and that is he must resign," said the Rev. Roger Hamilton, rector of Christ Church, Somers Point, and outgoing president of the standing committee. "If he does not leave, the diocese will continue in a downward spiral, fracturing what little fellowship remains."

Persons who supported Bishop Doss were nominated for all of the positions up for election at convention, including treasurer, standing committee and diocesan council, but each of them was defeated.

"This has been an extraordinary year, one of the most extraordinary in the life of any diocese in the Episcopal Church," Bishop Doss said in his convention address. "This year has seen two bodies of our diocese (standing committee and diocesan council) call for the resignation of a bishop ... This call for resignation stands by itself in the nature of the motivation and is one of the most extreme actions taken in the history of the Episcopal Church.

"My decision to stay the course is a result of a desire to fulfill my call and my vocation, a desire rooted in the profound nature of our baptismal unity and the role of the episcopacy in fostering those bonds ... what it means to be an Anglican now."

Bishop Doss has been under fire for more than a year on a variety of issues, including his leadership style, accusations of misuse of his discretionary fund and charges of racism coming from the predominantly black congregations of the diocese.

Bishop Doss acknowledged that many of those who hold key positions in the diocese are opposed to him, but he said he believes the majority of the 62,000-member diocese is supportive.

"No healing will be able to take place until he is gone," the Rev. Alan French, rector of St. Andrew's, New Providence, and the new president of the standing committee, told The Press of Atlantic City. "He has betrayed our trust, and will never again be our bishop, except, perhaps, only in title."

Peter Hausman, treasurer of the diocese, told reporters that 34 parishes have decided to withhold their voluntary contributions to the diocese.

"I hope that the church wakes up to the reality that when the church uses stewardship as a political football, it is opposed to what the gospel is all about," Bishop Doss said.