The American priests who were ordained bishops in Singapore have been affirmed and criticized in recent related developments.

The Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy, of Pawleys Island, S.C., and the Rt. Rev. John Rodgers, of Ambridge, Pa., were given authority to proceed "full speed ahead" as American missionary bishops by their respective archbishops, and one's ministry was challenged by two American diocesan bishops.

Bishops Murphy and Rodgers met with the primates of the Anglican churches where they are canonically resident - the Most Rev. Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda (Murphy) and the Most Rev. Ping Chong Yong of Southeast Asia (Rodgers) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, July 27-29, six months after their consecrations as "missionary" bishops to North America.

The ministries of the two Americans will now be part of an endeavor known as the Anglican Mission in America. Previously they had been functioning with the backing of the First Promise Movement, a South Carolina-based organization formed in 1997 when a group of clergy met to discuss reformation of the Episcopal Church. First Promise spokesman Harry Griffith said the designation as "missionary bishops" was seen as "an interim action." He added, "We're hoping that it will mean the establishment of a new Anglican province."

In Amsterdam, Archbishops Kolini and Yong told the Americans their mission is no longer an interim action aimed at reformation, but rather, "Our mission is not negotiable. Our mission is to grow." The archbishops in Amsterdam said that in view of the actions of the recent General Convention, they were convinced that reformation of the Episcopal Church from within is no longer feasible. They said there is a crisis of leadership, a crisis of faith and a crisis of mission in the American church.

Mr. Griffith said the Anglican Mission in America would now receive churches or plant churches "anywhere in the U.S. We were restricted before this.

"We're not recruiting parishes anywhere," he said. "We're receiving them. We can't control that. We're working with parishes which are going to leave the Episcopal Church."

Mr. Griffith added that his organization was disappointed by some of the actions of the 73rd General Convention in Denver. "We felt, for instance, that the seven-point resolution that was adopted was really worse than asking the liturgical commission to prepare rites for same-sex blessings. They've opened the door for everything."

The Amsterdam meeting was also attended by the Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh, representing the American Anglican Council; the Rt. Rev. Edward MacBurney, retired Bishop of Quincy, representing Forward in Faith North America; the Rt. Rev. John Rucyahana, Bishop of Shyira, Rwanda, and Mr. Griffith.

The meeting in Amsterdam followed publication of a letter sent by two diocesan bishops of the Episcopal Church to Archbishop Kolini which relates "deep concern over serious indignities rendered to us in our dioceses, allegedly in your name, though perhaps without your knowledge."

The Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel III, Bishop of East Carolina, and the Rt. Rev. Neff Powell, Bishop of Southwestern Virginia, signed the letter along with the presidents of their respective standing committees, Larry S. Overton of East Carolina and the Rev. David Cox of Southwestern Virginia. The letter states:

"Charles Murphy, who claims to be a bishop under your authority, came into the Dioceses of East Carolina and Southwestern Virginia, celebrated Eucharist, preached and confirmed, using the Book of Common Prayer of the Province of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America rather than the prayer book of his purported home Province of Rwanda. The acts were performed without either the invitation or the permission of the Ordinary of either diocese."

At issue are visits Bishop Murphy made to St. Andrew's Church, Morehead City, N.C., and Church of the Holy Spirit, Roanoke, Va.

The letter also points out that such visits are "a direct assault on the polity and integrity of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and of the Anglican Communion" and that it "denies the consistent historical stance of the Lambeth Conference regarding the integrity of provincial and diocesan boundaries."

The correspondence also challenges whether Bishop Murphy is really a bishop, citing the constitution of the Rwandan church, and the failure of the Archbishop of Canterbury to recognize the consecration.