Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Bishop and Standing Committee gone

Lest there is any doubt that Jack Iker, former bishop of Fort Worth, and all members of the Standing Committee have left the Episcopal Church, here are their own statements, issued in a response to the inhibision of Iker by Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop.
It can be read here.

THE RT. REV. JACK LEO IKER, Bishop
November 24, 2008


RESPONSES TO ATTEMPTED INHIBITION OF THE BISHOP


FORT WORTH, Texas – A letter of inhibition and supporting documents were issued Friday, Nov. 21, from the office of Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, to the Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker, Bishop of Fort Worth. However the inhibition is of no force or effect, since the Bishop and Diocese, meeting in annual convention, constitutionally realigned with another province of the Anglican Communion on Saturday, Nov. 15, and are now constituent members of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. Documents to this effect have been made public. Consequently, this attempted inhibition will not deter the Bishop from the continuance of his ministry.
Two responses are being issued at this time.


From Bishop Iker:
Katharine Jefferts Schori has no authority over me or my ministry as a Bishop in the Church of
God. She never has, and she never will.


Since November 15, 2008, both the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and I as the Diocesan
Bishop have been members of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. As a result, canonical
declarations of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church pertaining to us are irrelevant
and of no consequence.


The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker
Bishop of Fort Worth


From the Standing Committee:
The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is a member of the Province
of the Southern Cone as of November 15, 2008. Bishop Iker is a member in good standing of
the House of Bishops of the Province of the Southern Cone.


We wonder by what authority the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United
States presumes to inhibit a bishop of the Province of the Southern Cone. We do not recognize
the authority of the Presiding Bishop over us. We regret this illegal, unconstitutional, and
uncanonical attempt to interfere with the rights and ministry of a diocese of another province of
the Anglican Communion. We call upon her to desist from any further actions in our diocese and
that she refrain from any further border crossing.


The Rev. Dr. Thomas Hightower
President, Standing Committee


Other members of the Standing Committee are:

Judy Mayo
Walter Virden
Frank Salazar
The Rev. Christopher Cantrell
The Rev. Timothy Perkins


So it appears the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is without an ecclesiastical authority.

2 comments:

munkirench said...

I've posted the comments below on the standfirminfaith website and received some interesting replies.

Submitted for your Consideration:

RESPONSES TO THE ATTEMPTED REALIGNMENT OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF FORT WORTH

Bp. Jack Leo Iker has no authority over me or my ministry as a Lay Person in the Church of God.

Since November 15th, 2008, Bp. Jack Leo Iker has been a member of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. As a result, episcopal declarations of a Bishop of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone pertaining to me are irrelevant and of no consequence.

To the Former Standing Committee

I am a member in good standing of Province VII of The Episcopal Church in the United States. In that as of November 15, 2008 the members of the former Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth have been accepted into the Province of the Southern Cone I wonder by what authority the Former Standing Committee presumes to speak for me as a member of The Episcopal Church in the United States.

I do not recognize the authority of the former Standing Committee over me. I regret this illegal, unconstitutional, and uncanonical attempt to interfere with my rights and ministry as a member of another province of the Anglican Communion. I call on the former Standing Committee to desist from any further actions that would promote any further border crossing.
Harold L. Parkey
Lay Person

I do submit this somewhat tongue in cheek, but for me it is a statement of my opinion of Bp Iker’s and the Standing Committee’s response. As a member of a parish in the DioFW I still respect Bp Iker. I just happen to think he is wrong. It will serve us all well to keep our wits about us and deal with these difficult issues prayerfully and perhaps with a bit of humor. There are many good and faithfull clergy and parishoners in the Diocese on both sides that are hurting and in need of comfort and prayer.

ehculver said...

I went to the Stand Firm website and noticed that the Presiding Bishop was called "Mrs. Schori." She has a Ph.D., so it should be "Dr. Schori" if they just can't stomach the fact that she's a bishop.