Here we chronicle the events and their dates
leading up to the "Walking Apart" of the US branch of the Anglican
Communion from the main body of both the Communion and the Holy Catholic
Church.
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The Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America (PECUSA), is
also known as the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA), the
Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS), and The Episcopal Church (TEC).
1966-1967 Heresy charges brought against Bishop
James Pike, who had declared that “the Church’s classical way of
stating what is represented by the doctrine of the Trinity is…not essential to
the Christian faith”; Bishop Pike was censured, but there was no trial for
heresy because the Church believed such a trial would give it an “oppressive
image.”
1967 Weakening position on abortion apears to begin with 1967 General
Convention Statement on Abortion.
1976 General Convention of ECUSA approved Resolutions A068 and B101 calling for
study/dialogue on sexuality and ordination of homosexuals.
1976 John Spong ordained Bishop of Newark, despite his denial of essential Christian doctrines.
1976 Revised edition of the Book of Common Prayer approved (First
Reading) by resolution A104.
Background on liturgical innovation and prayerbook
revision.
1979 Revised edition of the Book of Common Prayer approved (Second
Reading) by resolution A133.
1979 General Convention of ECUSA approved Resolution A053,
reaffirming traditional teaching on sexuality and morality, stating, “we believe
it is not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual, or any
person who is engaged in heterosexual relations outside of marriage." This
has never been overturned by subsequent General Conventions.
1979 Twenty revisionist bishops issued “Statement of Conscience,”
rejecting A053.
1985 General Convention of ECUSA approved Resolution D082
calling to “dispel myths and prejudices” against homosexuality.
1987 Panel of bishops dismisses heresy charges against Bishop Spong.
1988 General Convention of ECUSA approves Resolution D102
calling for the continuation of consultation/dialogue regarding human
sexuality.
1989 Panel of bishops dismisses heresy charges against Bishop Spong.
1989 Bishop John Spong, Diocese of Newark, publicly ordains first
non-celibate, openly-partnered, homosexual.
1991 Bishop Walter Righter, Diocese of Washington, D.C., ordaines a
non-celibate homosexual.
1994 General Convention of ECUSA approved Resolution C042
calling for preparation of a report considering rites for blessings of same-sex
unions.
1994 Bishop Spong drafted the “Koinonia Statement” defining homosexuality as
morally neutral and affirming support for the ordination of homosexuals in
faithful sexual relationships (signed by 90 bishops and 144 deputies).
1996 The American Anglican Council is incorporated.
1996 Both counts of heresy against Bishop Righter dismissed
in an ecclesiastical court, which declared there was “no clear doctrine”
involved regarding the ordination a non-celibate gay man.
1997 The Kuala Lumpur Statement,
is released by the Second Anglican Encounter in the South, upholding
traditional theology on human sexuality.
1998 Lambeth Conference upholds Scriptural and traditional teaching on
marriage and human sexuality in resolution 1.10.
March 2000 Primates’ meeting in Oporto, Portugal,issued pastoral letter upholding
the authority of Scripture.
July 2000 General Convention of ECUSA approved Resolution D039 acknowledging
relationships other than marriage and existence of disagreement on the Church's
teaching.
March 2001 Primates’ meeting in Kanuga, N.C., issued pastoral letter
acknowledging estrangement in Church due to changes in theology and practice
regarding human sexuality, and calling Communion to avoid actions that might
damage “credibility of mission.”
April 2002 Primates’ meeting at Canterbury issued a report
recognizing the responsibility for all bishops to be able to articulate the
fundamentals of faith so as to maintain the Church in truth. See also: Appendix II to the report.
Sept. 2002 Anglican Consultative Council Meeting in Hong Kong approved motion urging
dioceses and bishops to refrain from unilateral actions/policies that would
strain communion
March 2003 The Theology Committee of the House of Bishops concluded that:
"Because at this time we are nowhere near consensus in the Church
regarding the blessing of homosexual relationships, we cannot recommend
authorizing the development of new rites for such blessings. For these reasons,
we urge the greatest caution as the Church continues to seek the mind of Christ
in these matters." (Note: the full report appears to have been removed
from the ECUSA web site.)
May 2003 Primates’ meeting in Brazil issued pastoral letter stating
“The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke for us all when he said that it is through
liturgy that we express what we believe, and that there is no theological
consensus about same sex unions. Therefore, we as a body cannot support the
authorisation of such rites.”
August
2003
The General Convention of the Episcopal Church defeated Resolution B001, which sought to affirm
the authority of Scripture.
August
2003
The General Convention of the Episcopal Church voted to confirm Gene Robinson,
a non-celibate, partnered homosexual man, as bishop of New Hampshire. The
Archbishop of Canterbury responds, saying, "It is my hope that the church
in America and the rest of the Anglican Communion will have the opportunity to
consider this development before significant and irrevocable decisions are made
in response," and calls for an extraordinary meeting of
the primates in London durring October.
August
2003
The General Convention of the Episcopal Church approved Resolution C051
recognizing blessings of same-sex unions as “within bounds of our common life.”
October 2003 Nearly 3,000 orthodox Episcopalians met in Dallas at A Place to Stand hosted by Christ Church Plano –
received message of support from Cardinal Ratzinger, sent a strong message to
Primates meeting.
October 2003 The statement released by the Primates of
the Anglican Communion at the conclusion of their extraordinary
meeting in Lambeth Palace states, in part, “If his consecration proceeds, we
recognise that we have reached a crucial and critical point in the life of the
Anglican Communion and we have had to conclude that the future of the Communion
itself will be put in jeopardy. In this case, the ministry of this one bishop
will not be recognised by most of the Anglican world, and many provinces are
likely to consider themselves to be out of Communion with the Episcopal Church
(USA). This will tear the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level, and may
lead to further division on this and further issues as provinces have to decide
in consequence whether they can remain in communion with provinces that choose
not to break communion with the Episcopal Church (USA).”
November 2003 V. Gene Robinson consecrated Bishop of New Hampshire.
Presiding Bishop Griswold (who signed the primates statement in London) is
chief consecrator. The Archbishop of Canterbury issues a
statement.
January 2004 The Anglican Communion Network is launched.
March 2004 ECUSA House of Bishops meeting at Camp Allen issue a plan for Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO)
for “those in the church who find themselves in distress because of the actions
of the 74th General Convention.” AAC declares DEPO a “no-go” in its response.
ECUSA
shows no restraint:
March 2004 Diocese of Washington begins to
develop rites for blessing same-sex unions.
April 2004 Retired Bishop Otis Charles “marries”
his homosexual partner in Pasadena, Calif. (The two have five
previous marriages between them.)
May 2004 Bishop of Los Angeles, J. Jon Bruno, performs blessing of same-sex union.
June 2004 Bishop of Washington, D.C., http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2005_01/where.htmlJohn
Chane, performs blessing of same-sex union] for priest and his partner.
June 2004 Dioces of Vermont issues
proposed rites for blessings of same-sex unions.
The
Windsor Report and beyond:
October 2004 Lambeth Commission releases the Windsor Report, reaffirming Lambeth Conference
resolution 1.10 and the authority of Scripture as central to Anglican common
life, and calles for moratoria on public rites of same-sex blessings as well as
on the election and consent of any candidate to the episcopacy living in a
same-sex union. Additional References
February 2005 Primates meet in Dromantine, Ireland, to collectively
examine the Windsor Report and produce a Communiqué
calling on ECUSA and Canada to “voluntarily withdraw” their representatives
from the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) until Lambeth 2008. Additionally
the Primates requested a hearing at the June 2005 ACC meeting in which the two
suspended churches (US & Cananda) are to set out their thinking behind
their recent actions.
March 2005 ECUSA House of Bishops meeting at Camp Allen, Texas, responds to the Windsor Report request for a
moratorium on election and consent to the episcopacy of persons living in
same-sex unions, instead “pledge(s) to withhold consent to the consecration of
any person elected to the episcopate after the date hereof until the General
Convention of 2006,” (In other words, “If I can't play my way, I'm not going to
play at all, so there!”). See also: A word to the church.
April 2005 ECUSA Executive Council holds special meeting and, in a letter to the ACC, announces they will send
their delegation to the June ACC meeting for observation but not official
participation.
June 2005 At the Anglican Consultative Council meeting
in Nottingham, England, ECUSA makes a presentation, “To Set Our Hope on Christ,”
defending what amounts to a new gospel that is wholly incompatible with
Scripture, thereby justifying, rather than repenting of, their actions. (Canada also makes a similar presentation.) The ACC
meeting also upholds Lambeth 1.10 teaching on
human sexuality and endorses the Primates’ request for ECUSA and Canada
to withdraw their representatives from the ACC until the next Lambeth
Conference.
September 2005 Church of Nigeria Synod votes to change its constitution,
and “deleted all such references ... defining us with the See of Canterbury and
replaced them with a new provision of Communion with all Anglican Churches,
Dioceses and Provinces that hold and maintain the Historic Faith, ...”
October 2005 In its Communiqué The Third Anglican South-to-South? Encounter in Egypt issued a harsh
indictment of ECUSA and Canada and called for a common “Anglican
Covenant” among churches remaining true to Biblical Christianity and
historic Anglicanism
February 2006 Global South Primates Steering Committee issues a communiqué
reemphasizing the seriousness of the crisis within the Communion and the need
for ECUSA to repent and comply with the Windsor Report.
February 2006 Susan Russell, President of Integrity USA, marries her lesbian partner, declaring
beforehand that the action was “God willing and the primates notwithstanding.”
ECUSA
General Convention 2006:
June 2006 The General Convention of the Episcopal
Church meets in Columbus, Ohio. The GC response to the Windsor
Report amounts to rejection and repudiation; elects heterodox Presiding Bishop
that is fully committed to the revisionist path chosen by the Episcopal Church
on issues of sex and morality. Eight dioceses request some form of alternative
primatial relationship.
Beyond General
Convention:
August 2006 Martyn Minns consecrated as CANA missionary bishop.
September 2006 The Global South Primates meeting at Kilgali, Rwanda, issue a communiqué that
laments, “We deeply regret that, at its most recent General Convention, The
Episcopal Church gave no clear embrace of the minimal recommendations of the
Windsor Report.” but “We are, however, greatly encouraged by the continued
faithfulness of the Network Dioceses and all of the other congregations and
communities of faithful Anglicans in North America.” and “We are convinced that
the time has now come to take initial steps towards the formation of what will
be recognized as a separate ecclesiastical structure of the Anglican Communion
in the USA.”
October 2006 The Presiding Bishop's chacellor, David Beers, writes letters
threatening legal action against the dioceses of Fort Worth and Quincy.
November 2006 In an escalating environment of threats and persecution, Bishop Schofield of San Juaquin, pulls no punches
in his response to the new Presiding Bishop, saying, in part, “The Episcopal
Church, as an institution, is walking a path of apostasy and those faithful to
God’s Word are forced to make painful choices.”
December 2006 Nine Virginia congregations,
including Truro and the Falls Church, vote to leave the Episcopal Church. Eight
join CANA, the ninth accepting oversight from a global south primate. This
brings the total number of congregations that have left the Episcopal Diocese
of Virginia to 13, with another two having congregational votes coming up in January.
December 2006 In a letter to the Primates, the Archbishop of
Canterbury explains his rationale for not withholding an invitation for the
Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church to the Primates Meeting scheduled for
February 14-19 in Tanzania, saying “I am also proposing to invite two or three
other contributors from that Province for a session to take place before the
rest of our formal business, in which the situation may be reviewed, and I am
currently consulting as to how this is best organised.”
The
initial sources used in creating this document can be found in: "Equipping
the Saints - 2nd edition," an educational booklet produced in March 2006
by the American Anglican Council.