Complaints Against Dixon Sent to Disciplinary Review Committee
Episcopal News Service. July 25, 2001 [2001-196]
Jan Nunley
(ENS) Virtually identical complaints filed against Washington's bishop pro tempore Jane Holmes Dixon by a group of three retired bishops and a separate group of clergy and laity were forwarded July 20 to the Episcopal Disciplinary Review Committee by Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, along with a request that they "work on an expedited basis."
A group of "confirmed adult communicants...in good standing," including one priest and six lay persons of the Diocese of Washington, filed a complaint July 13 accusing Dixon of "the intentional, material, and meaningful violation of the Constitution and Canons of the General Convention" in the ongoing controversy over the election of the Rev. Samuel L. Edwards as rector of Christ Church and St. John's Parish in Accokeek, Maryland.
The same day, retired diocesan bishops FitzSimons Allison of South Carolina, Maurice Benitez of Texas, and William Wantland of Eau Claire filed a similar complaint. All three have been vocal critics of Dixon's action in refusing Edwards' call as rector.
Charges and counter-charges
Dixon filed suit in federal court June 25 asking that Edwards be barred from officiating and the parish's vestry prohibited from barring her from "ministering to the congregation and performing episcopal acts there." She has refused to grant him a license because she says he is not "duly qualified" to be a rector in the diocese. Edwards, a long-time traditionalist activist who has publicly referred to the Episcopal Church as "the Unchurch," has said he would only recognize Dixon as an administrator, since he opposes the ordination of women as priests and bishops.
A complaint was brought May 29 against Edwards by 12 priests in the Diocese of Washington, charging him with violating Article VIII of the Episcopal Church's constitution, which requires a priest to conform to the "doctrine, discipline and worship" of the church; canon IV.1.1©), forbidding teaching doctrine contrary to that held by the church; and canon III.16.2, proscribing a priest from officiating for more than two months without a license in a diocese other than his own. Those charges have not been officially forwarded to Edwards' bishop, Jack Iker of Fort Worth, but Iker has promised that they will be investigated anyway.
Four counts charged
The complaints against Dixon charge her with four counts of violating the constitution and canons.
Count I says Dixon violated canon III.17.2, which provides that "no election of a Rector shall be held until the name of the Priest whom it is proposed to elect has been made known to the Bishop...and sufficient time, not exceeding thirty days, has been given to the Bishop to communicate with the Vestry..."
Count II says she refused to send notice of Edwards' election to the Secretary of the Convention in violation of canon III.17.3.
Count III claims she violated canon III.14.4(a) by inducing the Rev. Robert Stephenson and retired Washington bishop Ronald Haines to conduct services within the bounds of the parish without securing the consent of the rector or wardens.
Count IV says she presumed to appoint an interim priest to take charge of the parish without notification by the wardens that a vacancy existed (canon III.17.1).
"It is with heavy heart that Complainants come before their Presiding Bishop and his designated Review Panel of Bishops," say both documents, "making inquiry if The Episcopal Church in fact permits its bishops to exert a veto over the selection by a Parish of a new rector prayerfully called to be its rector in accordance with the Canons of the Episcopal Church."
'Painful and disruptive' dispute
The review committee consists of five bishops, two clergy members and two lay members, all appointed at the beginning of each triennium by the Presiding Bishop and the president of the House of Deputies. The current review committee includes diocesan bishops Michael W. Creighton of Central Pennsylvania, Gethin B. Hughes of San Diego, and Barry Howe of West Missouri; retired bishop suffragan of the Armed Forces Charles Keyser; and retired bishop of East Tennessee Robert G. Tharp. J. P. Causey, Jr. of the Diocese of Virginia and Mary Lou Crowley of the Diocese of Central New York are the lay members. Scott H. Kirby, dean of Christ Church Cathedral in the Diocese of Eau Claire and the Rev. Carolyn Keil-Kuhr of the Diocese of Montana are clergy members of the committee.
Howe replaces Indianapolis diocesan bishop Catherine Waynick, who signed a statement in support of Dixon. Keil-Kuhr replaces the Rev. Anne Robbins of Southern Ohio, who withdrew for health reasons.
Under Title IV of the canons, the committee is to convene to consider whether to issue a presentment or dismiss the charges.
In a letter to the House of Bishops, Griswold called the dispute "painful to many and disruptive to the work" of the Diocese of Washington. "Moreover, these events are transpiring at a particularly unfortunate time," he added, in that Washington is anticipating the election of a new diocesan bishop in January.
"I want to assure you that there have been efforts at mediating this dispute, and although they have not been successful, I continue to hope that further informal discussions could produce a resolution," Griswold concluded. "As Paul tells us, when one member of the Body suffers, we all suffer, and therefore I ask each of you to hold all those involved in this situation in your prayers."