wfn.org | USA Church Trial for Bishop

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9/20/95
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon James M. Rosenthal, Director of Communications
Anglican Communion News Service
157 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UT, England
Tel. 44 0171 620-1110    jim.rosenthal@ecunet.org
Fax 44 0171 620-1071

713 ACC

Church Trial for Episcopal Church Bishop

(ENS-Episcopal News Service) More than a quarter of the 297 active
and retired bishops of the Episcopal Church in the USA have voted in
favour of a formal Church trial for Bishop Walter C Righter, for
ordaining a man who was in a gay relationship as a deacon.

The presentment (initiating the legal process) was brought against
Bishop Righter, the retired Bishop of Iowa, last January by 10
diocesan bishops. He replied in May that the situation stemmed from
"a misunderstanding of doctrine". The Presiding Bishop, Edmond L
Browning has frequently stated his objections to a trial but last
month said that he was proceeding with the steps canonically
required for the trial. The case will be seen as a test case
determining whether any similar ordinations will be challenged.