In what could be the start of real schism in the Anglican Church, a Newfoundland bishop is demanding clergy come to the provincial capital to declare whether their loyalties lie with him or his predecessor, the leader of a breakaway conservative movement.
“Attendance at these gatherings is mandatory,” Cyrus Pitman, bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador warns in a Dec. 18 letter to clergy obtained by the Star.
Clergy from Eastern Newfoundland’s 33 parishes are to be in St. John’s on Jan. 21 to restate their ordination vows and to get new licences, with a date for those from the six Labrador parishes yet to be set.
Clergy need a licence from the church to minister to a parish or perform marriages.
Sounds like what +Howard did here in Dio of Florida: called the clergy together and said “It’s My way or the highway”.
The current +San Diego did something similar there when he began his reign, but it was more in line with pledging parish properties to remain in the diocese.
Original letter here: http://www3.thestar.com/static/PDF/080110_bishop_cyrus_letter.pdf
The pdf is copy protected, however the text is here:
http://www.anglicanessentials.ca/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/10/bishop-pitman-writes-to-his-clergy/
Bishop Pitman is fully entitled at ask whether his clergy’s loyalties are to him or some other bishop.
ANiC has openly stated its intention to create an alternative hierarchy. ACC bishops are fully entitled to fire any clergy whose loyalties are to another hierarchy.
My only surprise is that Niagara hasn’t acted yet. I expect an absolute extravaganza when it does act, because the leadership of ANiC is in Niagara.
+Spence’s outgoing celebration was only 4 days ago and I have heard, unreliably, that some members of the Niagara legal team are currently vacationing in Florida or the Caribbean. When +Niagara acts, you will see something much bigger than +Pitman’s mere request for a declaration of loyalty.
This must be dispiriting to the people in the pews.
“Who are you going to follow? Me or that Jesus guy?”
#4, this is territorialism at its worst. Christians owe their loyalty to Christ and His Church…….not to any bishop.