The Diocese of Fort Worth and the General Convention of the Episcopal Church continue on their collision course, now that the diocese has given final approval to a constitutional change limiting the authority General Convention may exercise over it. The measure was approved by 3-1 majorities in both the lay and clergy orders at the diocesan convention Nov. 7-8 in Fort Worth.

The action means that the diocese will only recognize the authority of the Constitution and Canons and the General Convention, "provided that no action of General Convention which is contrary to Holy Scripture and the Apostolic Teaching of the Church shall be of any force or effect."

On Jan. 1, when the ordination of women becomes mandatory in every diocese, the diocese and its bishop, the Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker, will be in violation of Episcopal Church canons. But the debate over the constitutional amendment turned not on the ordination of women, but human sexuality.

Only the Rev. Philip Cooke, rector of St. Gregory's Church, Mansfield, spoke against the amendment. He argued that it purposely deletes reason from the classical Anglican methodology in favor of scripture, tradition and the judgment of the local church.

But Judy Mayo, a lay delegate from St. Andrew's, Fort Worth, and a deputy to General Convention, warned that protections need to be in place because the next General Convention might approve the blessing of same-sex unions.

"This gives us the means to remain in the Episcopal Church," said Frank Salazar, a lay delegate from St. Alban's, Arlington. "We are only making explicit in written form what has always been the foundation of Anglican theology, the supreme authority of scripture."

Bishop Iker said that should it ever become necessary to invoke this provision, it would be done by the bishop and diocese acting together at convention.

The bishop told delegates that he hopes for three years of peace before he has to defend himself against an expected presentment for failing to accept the ordination of women.

"I want to say again that I am not leading a secret movement out of the Episcopal Church," he said. "I am working to carve out a place to stand. I will do whatever is necessary to defend this diocese from revisionism, heresy and factionalism."

The convention also approved the Kuala Lumpur Statement on human sexuality.

Most of the convention's time was devoted to strengthening the diocese's companion relationship with the Diocese of Northern Malawi. Three visitors from that diocese attended convention. Fort Worth is raising funds to purchase a large boat to link Likoma Island with other communities around Lake Malawi.

A budget of $1.36 million was approved for 1998. The diocese is also considering a capital campaign to build a new diocesan center, a conference center at the diocesan camp, and endow a mission fund for new congregations.