Church Planting For The 21st Century - The Christian Challenge

SAN JOAQUIN Continued from Page 10
rine Jefferts Schori, asking him to confirm whether reports
concerning the proposed constitutional changes were true. If
so, she wrote, “such action would likely be seen as a violation
of your ordination vows to ‘uphold the doctrine, discipline,
and worship of Christ as this Church has received them.’” She
claimed to be open to “conversation and reconciliation.”
In a polite but firm reply November 28, Bishop Schofield said
he had always been faithful to his
ordination vows, by “defending
IN A TAPED MESSAGE, Southern
Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables
assured San Joaquin delegates that
global South leaders are preparing a
model of alternative primatial oversight
in the U.S. that will be put to all
primates for authorization.
and propagating `the historic
Faith and Order’ which [TEC]
commits to upholding in the preamble of its own constitution.”
Pointing out that it was TEC’s own rogue actions since 2003
that have “torn the fabric of the entire Communion,” he told
her that the choice at the diocesan level is “between continuing
membership in an unrepentant, apostate institution or following
Holy Scripture and the Anglican faith.” That choice would
be made by the Diocese of San Joaquin, not by him - nor, by
implication, by TEC’s national leadership.
Bishop Schofield complimented the P.B., though, for “not
issuing an ultimatum” - and said that he would exercise similar
restraint by not advancing the date of the 2007 diocesan convention,
slated to consider final approval of the constitutional
amendments. That deal would hold, he told Jefferts Schori,
unless “proceedings are instituted” against him. “My prayer
is that neither of us takes action which upsets the delicate balance
which now exists until [Anglican] primates have given
us direction at their February 2007 meeting.”
IN HIS ADDRESS to the diocesan convention, Schofield
said that the gathering’s business “does not begin something
new,” but rather endeavors to keep to the same doctrinal
and communion path by taking the first step in removing
the diocese’s link to TEC “because in our opinion...[it] has
decided to walk apart from the Anglican Communion.”
The bishop reviewed at some length the history of TEC’s
slide into apostasy, pointing to the illegality, deceit and other
tactics liberals used to advance their agenda.
He blamed the Anglican schism on TEC’s intransigent
impenitence. “The failure of the [2006] General Convention
to respond adequately to the Windsor Report did not create
the schism, it simply confirmed it,” he said.
Emblematic of the new TEC is the current presiding bishop,
whose “public statements...have caused one theologian to
discern five different schools of heresy forming her thought
and faith,” Schofield said.
He also accused TEC of “continuously manipulating the press
into reporting a caricature of who [conservatives] are and what
we are standing for.” For example, TEC walks apart from the
Communion but accuses conservatives of leaving, he said.
12 November-December 2006 The Christian Challenge www.challengeonline.org
Commending the proposed constitutional changes to the
convention, he said that, “This initial vote does not separate
us from [TEC] but positions us to respond positively to the
primates.”
IN A ROUSING taped message of support shown at the
convention, Southern Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables
said that sacrifice and difficulty, even suffering, will likely accompany
the faithful stand that San Joaquin is making. But he
said that, as a result of meetings in Rwanda and Washington,
global South leaders are preparing a model for alternative
primatial oversight in the U.S. that will be put to the whole
body of primates for authorization.
“Although you might need to separate from an agenda that
long ago separated from the plan of God for the Christian
Church, at no time will you have to separate from the Anglican
Communion,” Venables told the convention.
The Resolutions: The Convention Roars
It was clear from the voting the following day that the diocesan
convention was persuaded by the counsel of Schofield and
Venables rather than that of the Via Media/Remain Episcopal
combine, and was unintimidated by the presiding bishop.
The proposal to amend the constitution to remove references
to TEC and to define the diocese as being “constituted
by the Faith, Order, and Practice of the One, Holy, Catholic,
and Apostolic Church as received by the Anglican Communion”
drew support from 81 percent of the clergy and 90
percent of the laity.
The proposal to expand the definition of the diocese’s
territory as including, but not being limited to, the current
boundaries passed with the backing of 84 percent of the clergy
and 86 percent of the laity.
Also approved by well over a two-thirds majority was a
change in the definition of the ecclesiastical authority designed
to prevent a takeover from outside the diocese, and a measure
to protect diocesan trust funds from outside raids.
A last-minute resolution to “direct the bishop, counsel and
Standing Committee to assess the means for our affiliation
with a recognized ecclesiastical structure of the Anglican
Communion” and report back to the next convention passed
with 98 percent of the vote.
The Remain Episcopal camp was despondent. The Rev. Rick
Matters, co-founder, said, “There is a schism, and it’s a sin.”
Bishop Jefferts Schori deeply lamented San Joaquin’s decision
and the plight of TEC loyalists in the jurisdiction, and said she
was taking counsel on this “extra-canonical” action.
The changes passed on December 2 appear virtually certain
to garner the two-thirds majority vote in both orders necessary
for final passage next year. Once this takes place, San
Joaquin could well be the anchor diocese for the formation
of an Anglican Communion province that would parallel or
even replace TEC. A number of parishes in southern California
reportedly have already indicated interest in coming within
San Joaquin’s orbit.
OF COURSE, San Joaquin’s pullout would likely spur a
national church legal bid to have TEC loyalists in San Joaquin
declared the legitimate trustees of the diocese’s assets.
Though an Episcopal diocese’s withdrawal has never been