The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth follows the California-based Diocese of San Joaquin as well as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Quincy, Illinois, in disassociating itself from the Episcopal Church.
IRD Religious Liberty Director Faith J.H. McDonnell commented:
“Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has stated that the worst is behind the denomination. Saying so ignores the continued departure of parishes, and even more so, the decline in Sunday attendance.
“Suing four different dioceses simultaneously is going to be the least of Jefferts Schori’s problems if Episcopalians continue to die off, stop going to church or leave for more vibrant communities of worship.
Is “accelerate” really accurate here? How many dioceses have gone now and how many more are likely to go?
Four have gone so far, Marion. I don’t know of any lead-pipe cinches for the next, but there have been rumors of several more: Albany and South Carolina among them. Dr. Harmon, are you hearing anything in your realm?
If approval of a separate North American Province is agreed upon, then we might see more decide to align themselves with that group, rather than staying with TEc, but we’ll have to wait and see.
As I recall, four dioceses were the minimum required for petition of a separate province. We have those now.
Peace
Jim Elliott
Florida
I asked the question about other dioceses leaving here
http://themcj.com/?p=956#comments
and the responses amounted, effectively, to few are likely to go under any circumstances, but maybe, just maybe, South Carolina might; and someone who responded privately to me added Albany.
And still our PB want’s to go to court and spend TEC’s money to sue departing Diocese’s. If more keep leaving TEC will be going into financial ruin paerticularly if it keeps losing the court battles!