wfn.org | Bishops speak to proposal for alternative episcopal oversight

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99-157

Bishops speak to proposal for alternative episcopal oversight

by Episcopal Life Staff

     A small group of bishops has initiated discussion on a 
radical proposal that congregations have the freedom to replace 
their own bishop with alternative episcopal oversight and 
redirect their financial support to the diocese of the overseeing 
bishop.

     Bishop Robert Duncan of the Diocese of Pittsburgh approached 
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold with a printed document at the 
House of Bishops meeting at San Diego in September. It was not 
brought before the bishops' meeting, but over lunch the presiding 
bishop's Council of Advice discussed it with Duncan and Bishop 
John Lipscomb of the Diocese of Southwest Florida.

     The document includes a pledge to "deepen unity" and refrain 
from "coercive legislation" at General Convention.

     Griswold said it is a set of "talking points" and that he 
had requested Duncan to remove references to a "Jubilee Bishops 
Initiative" because the concept belongs to the whole church and 
shouldn't be given a partisan interpretation. That would raise 
the possibility of the statement serving as a symbol of division 
that would not enhance the unity of the church. He urged Duncan 
to broaden discussion to include another half-dozen bishops. 
Griswold said he would report results of that discussion in 
December to a joint meeting of the Councils of Advice of the 
presiding bishop and president of the House of Deputies.

     In a September 28 letter to six bishops he invited into the 
discussion, Duncan said bishops of the American Anglican Council 
had developed the document, an organization he described as "a 
missionary organization." 

     "You should also know that these points began within a 
larger framework of 'Jubilee Commitments, but that our [presiding 
bishop] has asked that we try to rework the points before they 
become public."

     However, at the same time the six bishops were discussing 
Duncan's second draft, the American Anglican Council on October 6 
released the earlier draft, endorsing it as the basis for 
widespread discussion. Griswold expressed surprise at the move by 
the AAC to release the prior draft.

     The six participating in the continuing conversation, in 
addition to Duncan and Lipscomb, are Bishops Fred Borsch of the 
Diocese of Los Angeles, Richard Grein of the Diocese of New York, 
Geralyn Wolfe of the Diocese of Rhode Island, Catherine Waynick 
of the Diocese of Indianapolis, Charles Bennison of the Diocese 
of Pennsylvania and Paul Marshall of the Diocese of Bethlehem.

     Duncan, who was traveling in England and Italy, was 
unavailable for comment, but Lipscomb called a conference call 
among the bishops "very positive" and said the document would be 
revised further on the basis of that conversation.