Episcopal News Service Thursday, September 28, 2006
San Joaquin bishop's actions do not constitute abandonment of communion, review committee says
California bishops had filed charges
By Mary Frances Schjonberg
[ENS] Responding to a unanimous opinion of the Title IV Review Committee, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold on September 28 notified San Joaquin Bishop John-David Schofield of the committee's finding that actions of Schofield "do not constitute abandonment" of communion as defined by the Canons of the Episcopal Church.
The Episcopal Church's Title IV Review Committee met via conference call September 26 to deal with accusations that Schofield had abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church. The charges had been filed by four California bishops.
"We did have a lengthy discussion but it was unanimous," said the Review Committee's president, Bishop Dorsey Henderson of Upper South Carolina, adding that one member of the committee was not able to join the conference call.
Griswold notified Schofield by telephone of the committee's opinion.
Schofield was not immediately available for comment, but a notice was posted on the diocesan website.
Henderson's letter to Griswold reads in full:
"This is respectfully to inform you that the Title IV Review Committee has prayerfully and diligently studied and considered the question raised by the Right Rev'd Bishops of the Dioceses of California, Los Angeles, Northern California, and San Diego -- to wit, whether specific actions which they designate in their correspondence, dated June 29, 2006, together with supporting documents, constitute abandonment of the communion by the Right Rev'd John-David Schofield, Bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin.
"It is the unanimous opinion of the Committee (with one member not participating) that the actions of Bishop Schofield do not constitute abandonment of the communion as defined in Title IV, Canon 9, Section 1, of the Canons of the Episcopal Church."
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_78215_ENG_HTM.htm
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