The San Joaquin Diocese’s vote Saturday to split from the National Episcopalian Church drew mixed reaction from local church leaders and parishioners.
Representatives of the diocese, which includes Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, voted 173-22 to leave the national church, realigning the diocese with the conservative Anglican Church of the Southern Cone, based in South America.
“I’m very happy the way the vote went,” said the Rev. Jim Stout of the Church of the Ascension in Copperopolis. “I’m deeply grieved for those that chose not to go in this direction. I pray they are not hurt by this process.”
The outcome of the vote on Saturday was overwhelmingly in favor of the split, with 173 voting in favor, compared to 22 who were opposed.
Local church leaders seem to be split on the issue.
“Mixed on split?” Looking at the vote, and then looking at the story, I am mixed up. What percentage constitutes a “mixed reaction?”
Seem like the mix is 173 to 22. What an inane article!
The story is grasping at straws.
[blockquote] The story is grasping at straws.[/blockquote]
No. I think the story is simply misleading to the point of being false. DofSJ’s actions enjoy overwhelming support. The vote reflects probably as close to a unanimous consensus on a major issue as your likely to find in any democratic polity. For the record I think the democratic polity of TEC is one the major contributing factors to its current problems. When doctrine becomes subject to popular referendum the game is up.
Those “mixed reactions” were very much in the minority, and the end result of the vote has been preordained for the past year. There was never any doubt that the resolution would pass handily.