The bishops of Province 4 have issued a statement concerning Bishops John S. Spong, C. FitzSimons Allison and Alex D. Dickson.

After noting the commitment made by all bishops in their ordination vows, and reaffirming some principles of the faith, the bishops stated:

"We note that John S. Spong, the retired Bishop of Newark, has often questioned and reinterpreted the tenets of the Christian faith. In the Episcopal Church we believe anyone, lay or clergy, has the freedom to question any of the church's teachings; but if Bishop Spong or any others teach and think contrary to the faith of the church, their teaching represents only that individual and does not represent the Episcopal Church.

"We further note that C. FitzSimons Allison, retired Bishop of South Carolina, and Alex D. Dickson, retired Bishop of West Tennessee, have challenged the polity of the Episcopal Church in ways that are disturbing and unsettling to the church's unity which we as bishops are called to uphold."

In a response issued from Pawley's Island, S.C., Bishops Allison and Dickson said that the dysfunction in the House of Bishops has resulted in the church's unity becoming grounded in "territory and polity ... rather than on the faith ... Fortunately," they added, "Primates of the Anglican Communion ... have provided sustenance and Anglican fellowship to faithful Episcopalians."