The Diocesan Dialogue
Current Issue
February 2008

Bishop Irish backs Presiding Bishop in disciplinary action against San Joaquin Bishop

The Right Reverend Carolyn Tanner Irish is strongly supporting extraordinary disciplinary action against a fellow western Bishop who is trying to break away from the American Episcopal Church over issues of sexual orientation. Bishop Irish and the Utah Diocese have been outspoken leaders in the fight to preserve the integrity and the unity of the Episcopal Church at a time of public dissension by a few bishops. The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori has inhibited the Bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin from the exercise of his ministry as he has tried to lead his central California congregations away from the national church.

The Presiding Bishop took the nearly unprecedented action charging Bishop John-David Schofield with "abandonment of communion" following his actions in declaring that the majority of the members of his diocese are now part of the Province of the Southern Cone of South America. Bishop Irish agrees that Bishop Schofield's declaration is against church law.

"I deeply regret the necessity of this inhibition." said Bishop Irish. "Yet I am in full support of our Presiding Bishop's actions. When the Body of Christ is broken by the departure of any of its members, we are all diminished. Yet I know that our Presiding Bishop has taken courageous steps to ensure the long-term future of our beloved Church, whose structure must be respected as we live out our common life. Bishop Schofield has chosen to violate the authority and canons (church law) of the Church that called him into the ministry of bishop. We cannot do otherwise than to hold him accountable to the vows he took the day he was ordained."

Bishop Irish said the San Joaquin situation was a topic at the recent Province VIII Bishop's meeting in Salt Lake City. That body reached a consensus supporting Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori's plan for inhibition. San Joaquin is in Province VIII, however Bishop Schofield chose not to attend the Salt Lake City meeting. Bishop Irish said "While we have tried over the years to be in collegial fellowship with Bishop Schofield and to work productively with the Diocese of San Joaquin, he has consisted refused to join in our conversations. The Episcopal Church is actively supporting and ministering to those persons who wish to remain members in San Joaquin, and our prayers and thoughts are with them as they suffer abandonment by their bishop and fellow Christians. We trust good things will come for them through the comforting ministry of the Holy Spirit at this challenging time."

Bishop Schofield can recant his breakaway declaration before the March meeting of the House of Bishops. However, he is expected to remain defiant and the House of Bishops is expected to make the disciplinary action permanent.

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