Six Episcopal Churches Move to Split from Ohio Diocese

Akron, Ohio, March 14--Today, members of six Episcopal churches in northeast Ohio may trigger a long-feared schism in the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) by inviting bishops from outside the Ohio diocese to challenge the authority of Bishop Clark Grew II and establish a separate relationship under an alternative, conservative bishop.

The event was planned by the American Anglican Council, a group of conservative Episcopalians who have long objected to the progressive bent of the church. Officially, the six parishes are holding a joint worship service to celebrate the formation of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, the organization launched last January by the council, along with 12 conservative Episcopal bishops angered by the blessing of same-sex marriages and the consecration of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, an openly homosexual priest, as Bishop of New Hampshire. Robinson was formally installed last Sunday. Ohio's Bishop Grew was one of 62 bishops who approved Robinson's election at the church's general convention in August.

Today's ceremony, at which more than 100 adults and teenagers will be confirmed into the Episcopal church, is apparently designed to force a confrontation with the national church. It will be administered by, among other active and retired conservative bishops, Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti, Bishop of Recife, Brazil. The Rt. Rev. Maurice Benitez is expected give opening remarks that will declare the American Anglican Council's intent to establish separate "orthodox" jurisdictions, or regions. It is almost certain that one of the bishops attending will be appointed the spiritual overseer of the six churches as a rival to Bishop Grew. The presence of the outside bishops is illegal under church law and was undisclosed until today.

According to church law, visiting bishops must have the permission of the local bishop before performing any rites in a diocese other than their own. If today's ceremony goes as planned, the national church could begin proceedings to defrock the offending bishops and seize the buildings and endowments of the participating parishes. "We are prepared to fight, to go to court, to protect the things that have been put in our hands as resources," said Rev. Roger Ames, rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Bath, Ohio and leader of the six parishes, known as the "Ohio cluster." The day after Robinson's election, Ames covered the word "Episcopal" on the sign outside St. Luke's.

The cluster churches say they appealed to the American Anglican Council, "the body recognized by the largest part of the Anglican Communion as having influence in this matter," for an alternate bishop. "In response to our request, and in light of this pastoral crisis, an emergency alternate bishop has been appointed for us, and we are willing to submit wholly to his spiritual oversight," says Rev. David Loomis, rector of Hudson Anglican Fellowship. Bishop Grew is reportedly aware of the six churches' discontent, but was unaware of their plans to hold Sunday's ceremony.

The Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) has offered a plan for "supplemental episcopal oversight," which ECUSA'S Frank Griswold says he will flesh out at the annual meeting of the church's bishops in Texas later this month. Rev. Ames says the churches are only seeking the "adequate episcopal oversight" promised to the Ohio dissenting churches by the Archbishop of Canterbury and 37 national leaders in the Anglican Communion at a meeting in England, last fall.

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