The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin on Wednesday deposed 61 clergy from Lodi to Bakersfield because they have left the national Episcopal Church and aligned themselves with the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Episcopal Bishop Jerry Lamb, who called the action "heartbreaking," said from his Stockton headquarters that such clergy will have their retirement assets frozen and no longer can participate as Episcopal priests. But, he added, "this action is not taken for any ethical or moral concerns."
The news didn't seem to matter to the priests, who now are under Anglican oversight.
"Really, this doesn't impact us," said the Rev. Michael McClenaghan of St. Paul's Church in Modesto, who hadn't yet received word of his deposition Wednesday afternoon. "We have been transferred to either the Southern Cone (in South America) or in our case, Anglican Missions through Rwanda. So we're still priests."
The 61 deposed priests are from parishes that have followed Bishop John-David Schofield as he led the country's first diocese to leave the Episcopal Church in December 2007 over issues related to the interpretation of Scripture, including acknowledging Jesus as the only way to heaven and opposing the ordination of gay clergy. Such parishes include St. Matthias in Oakdale, St. Luke's in Merced and the historic Red Church in Sonora, St. James.
More here-
http://www.modbee.com/life/faithvalues/story/720706.html
1 comment:
What I said at Kendall's post on this matter is that what we need in TEC is a canonical provision to allow for the orderly transfer of clergy by letters dimissory from TEC dioceses to dioceses of Churches in communion with this Church. At present there are no other non-disciplinary instruments of separation but resignation or deposition for abandonment.
Bruce Robison
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