Preface
This is an explanation of Bishop Iker’s November 17, 2007 address to the annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. It is intended that this explanation be informative, comforting and brief. The Episcopal Church (“TEC”) will be referred to as We, Us and Our versus Bishop Iker and his followers, who do not agree with TEC, who will be referred to as They, Them and Their. Inflammatory terms such as conservative vs. liberal, orthodox vs. revisionist, contemporary vs. literalist or fundamentalist will not be used.

The Disagreement
They believe that issues of how to worship and interpret Scripture must be uniform in order to go to the same church. We believe that regardless of how one worships or interprets Scripture, we can all attend the same church.

The Issues
There have been too many disputed issues to include them all here. An older issue was the adoption of the 1979 version of the Book of Common Prayer versus the 1928 version, which was preceded by a similar issue upon the adoption of the 1928 version, etc. Another issue, commencing more than 30 years ago and prior to the founding of a Fort Worth diocese, was ordination of women to the priesthood. Homosexuals have always held positions in the clergy, but today’s atmosphere of being “openly gay” has brought this out as an issue. A related issue is whether the Church should bless or solemnize a same gender relationship (e.g. gay marriages). There are and always have been many disputed theological issues.

History
After the founding of the Church of England and the return to Roman Catholicism, Elizabeth I became monarch of England and the Church of England was reestablished. The constitutional nature of the Church of England is traceable to a series of English statutes known as the Elizabethan Settlement. Three key aspects are: (1) the principle of autonomy, (2) the principle of toleration, and (3) the principle of lay participation in the governance of the Church.

From before Elizabeth’s death in 1603 the Church faced turmoil from the Puritans culminating in 1644 when the Book of Common Prayer was declared illegal and the Church of England was replaced by the Presbyterian Church. In 1660, Charles II assumed the crown and, shortly thereafter, the Church of England was restored. Against this background of turmoil, the Church was established in the North American colonies. It was after the American Revolution that Methodist societies formed a separate denomination.

In the emergence of The Episcopal Church (“TEC”), the Anglican constitutional principle of lay participation was amplified by the American Revolutionary principle of democracy. The division of power in the Constitution of TEC is not a matter of independent and sovereign entities delegating powers to a central authority (confederal system) nor is it a division of power between a central government and associated governments (federal system). All power and authority was voluntarily ceded to a national governmental structure, General Convention, through the 1789 Constitution of TEC. TEC has a unitary form of government in which the national government holds legal supremacy over other subordinate levels of government. TEC operates under rules called Canon Law which are enacted by the General Convention.

The national government of TEC resembles that of England, where supreme authority is vested in Parliament. TEC has chosen to distribute powers to subordinate levels of government as a matter of Canon Law. TEC remains constitutionally unitary with all of its powers residing originally in General Convention and subject to recall by it.

The Diocese of Fort Worth did not exactly come into being and then unite with the General Convention. On September 11, 1982, General Convention passed a resolution confirming the June 19, 1982 vote of the Diocese of Dallas to be split into two diocese. General Convention created an administrative unit, which met on November 13, 1982 and formed the Diocese of Fort Worth. This all was done in accordance with Canon Law of TEC (although recently even this historical fact is disputed).

Splits and Schisms
There have been over 50 splits and schisms from TEC including the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) in 1873, American Episcopal Church (AEC) (now Anglican Province of America (APA)) in 1965, Anglican Church in North America (now Anglican Catholic Church) in 1977, and Episcopalians United for Reformation, Renewal and Revelation (EU), in 1987.

The first intrusion (violation of autonomy) by a foreign Province was in 1999 when the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) was established by the Archbishops of Rwanda and Singapore. This has been followed by establishment of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) by the Archbishop of Nigeria and by accepting membership of some U.S. congregations by the Archbishops of the Southern Cone (a few South American countries), Uganda, and Kenya. Recently, the diocese of San Joaquin joined the Southern Cone (while they may dispute it, both parishes and diocese are part of The Episcopal Church and, by definition, cannot become a part of another Church).

What is Occurring in Fort Worth?
At this annual convention, a first vote was passed to remove the diocese from The Episcopal Church. A second vote is scheduled for the next annual convention. An invitation has been extended by the Province of the Southern Cone to join and may be accepted.

We are saddened to lose any person from TEC, but a diocese, which is created by the General Convention of TEC, or a parish, which is created by a TEC diocese, cannot be removed from TEC without the permission of General Convention (though they may dispute this). We hope that many, who may agree with them on some or all of the issues, will stay within TEC where diversity of opinion (and Scriptural interpretation) is not only tolerated, but cherished.

Why is This Occurring Now?
Three small diocese (San Joaquin, California, Quincy, Illinois, and Fort Worth, Texas) out of 110 national diocese, refuse to follow the Canon Law, which requires ordination of clergy without regard to gender. As the bishops of these diocese near retirement, they believe that their successors will not be approved unless they agree to follow this Canon Law. In their consecration vows, as well as the ordination vows, all ordained persons promise to follow Canon Law and they are now violating that oath (though they may dispute this).

Threat of Disciplinary Action and Litigation
The only disciplinary action that TEC would bring on Bishop Iker and any clergy following him relates to whether they have renounced their ordination vows and clergy positions with TEC. They can do this publicly by saying they have or this can be accomplished, for Bishop Iker, by accusing him of abandoning his duties to TEC and obtaining a concurring vote from the House of Bishops. The Presiding Bishop, by Canon Law, is required to notify Bishop Iker that this will be the outcome of his announced actions with respect to leaving TEC. This is the “threat,” to which he refers in his address to the convention.

When Bishop Iker leaves the Episcopal Church, an interim bishop will be appointed, a diocesan convention will be held, and a new bishop will be elected, all in accordance with Canon Law. The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth will continue with the new bishop and, where necessary, with new clergy.

By Canon Law, the Presiding Bishop as well as the Executive Council are required to do all they can to protect Church property. Although disputed, the ownership of all Church property including land, buildings, furniture, etc. rests finally in the hands of TEC. Some congregations have left the Episcopal Church and taken property with them. This has resulted in litigation and TEC’s ownership has been sustained over and over again. Others, such as Christ Church in Plano, have negotiated a purchase of the property.

David Leedy 12/28/2007