Leaders of the Episcopal Church have ousted more than 50 clergy members who aligned with a former bishop from the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin leading the movement to break with the national church.
Bishop John-David Schofield led the local Anglican breakaway in December 2007 over differences with the national body's approval of same-sex blessings, the ordination of a gay bishop, the role of women in the church and how to interpret the Bible over such issues.
The Episcopal Church removed Schofield as head of the Fresno-based diocese in 2008 and barred him from performing any religious rites. He is now an Anglican bishop under the worldwide church.
After Schofield's removal, the Episcopal Church named Jerry Lamb as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, based in Stockton. In October, Lamb charged that 36 priests and 16 deacons who aligned with Schofield and an Anglican group in Argentina had abandoned the Episcopal Church. Lamb gave them six months to return to the Episcopal Church or request release from their ordination vows.
Lamb said he took final action this week to depose the clergy who had failed to respond.
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http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1431498.html
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