More Bishops Writing (Jenkins) … or Talking (Ackerman & Beckwith)

These statements appeared Saturday, March 24.

Here's what Bishop Charles Jenkins (Diocese of Louisiana) has to say in The Bishop's Blog: A Statement Regarding the House of Bishops Meeting: " As Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana I reaffirm my commitment to constituent membership in the Anglican Communion, and to working positively and cooperatively in communion with other members of the Episcopal Church and sister Churches within the global Anglican community." He writes that he anticipates "a more expansive reflection . . . at a later date."

Comments from Bishop Peter Beckwith (Diocese of Springfield) and Bishop Keith Ackerman (Diocese of Quincy) are carried in this story from the Peoria Journal Star newspaper. The story begins: "Central Illinois' two Episcopal bishops said they were disappointed by statements coming from the denomination's House of Bishops this week." It continues:

Among the U.S. dioceses seeking alternate oversight are the west-central Illinois Diocese of Quincy and the southeast Illinois Diocese of Springfield, both of which extend into central Illinois. Leaders in those dioceses say that disassociating themselves from TEC actions and affiliating with other Anglican networks could preserve their membership in the Anglican Communion.

"I'm profoundly disappointed," Bishop Peter Beckwith of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield said Friday about this week's resolutions. "It doesn't sound like there's too much interest in backtracking in any way from the kind of stuff (the Episcopal Church has) been doing.

Beckwith added, "It tells you where they are, and I'm not there. I think it's clear the Episcopal Church has departed from the Christian faith as its been received and we're making it up as we go along, and we're not going to change."

He called TEC "a province that's embracing heresy and apostasy."

Beckwith said the resolutions don't change anything for Springfield. "We are an orthodox diocese and we're going to continue in that direction."

Quincy Bishop Keith Ackerman said the resolutions are "an absolute rejection of everything that was envisioned in the communique."

Ackerman, surprised action was taken, said, "What is very, very sad, though, is that first of all they had indicated they would not make a decision at this meeting but wait until the September meeting."

The Quincy bishop, based in Peoria, also said that the resolutions, in essence, say that "we want to be a part of the Anglican Communion, now here are the conditions by which we're willing to be in the Anglican Communion."

Ackerman said Quincy's leadership will not take any action in response to the resolutions since the statements don't have legislative power. "It would be unwise for us to do anything precipitous without taking counsel of other Anglican provinces," he said.

Neither of the central Illinois bishops attended the meeting in Texas. Ackerman said the diocese couldn't afford the nearly $2,000 cost of sending him there and that he was busy with Lenten programs. Beckwith said his position was "well-represented" by others there.