The bishops who signed the statement, "A Declaration to the Church" [p. 6] are to be commended for their willingness to oppose the 12 theses issued by Bishop John S. Spong of Newark [TLC, May 17]. The release of the statement a month before the opening of the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops will be a sign to the rest of the Anglican Communion that all of the American bishops do not stand with Bishop Spong in what the statement calls "a denial" of the Christian faith.

Unfortunately, the statement will have little or no effect. A sizable number of bishops "disassociated" themselves from Bishop Spong in 1990 following Bishop Spong's ordination of a non-celibate homosexual person, and the action had no effect on the controversial Bishop of Newark. Bishop Spong will continue to lecture, to write books, and to engage in debate, but those actions will take place without the blessing of 48 of his fellow members of the House of Bishops.

The church is not well served when one of its bishops acts unilaterally. Unfortunately, those who hear Bishop Spong's message usually aren't aware of that.