Fort Worth Diocese to officially split from Episcopal Church today

[furrbear]

From the Dallas Morning News:

Fort Worth Diocese to officially split from Episcopal Church today over social issues

12:00 AM CST on Saturday, November 15, 2008

By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News
samhodges@dallasnews.com

Lanette Carpenter can't say enough about the people of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Hurst, especially choir members she has sung with for years.

KHAMPHA BOUAPHANH/Special Contributor

Bishop Jack Iker, giving Communion at the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth's Center for Ministry on Wednesday, says: 'We're not leaving the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church has left us.'

"They've walked with me through the best and worst times of my life," she said.

But the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, including St. Stephen's, is to break officially from the Episcopal Church today, becoming the fourth diocese in the nation to leave since last year over such issues as the ordination of female priests and the acceptance of an openly gay bishop.

Though Ms. Carpenter doesn't agree with everything the Episcopal Church does, she loves it, and doesn't want to leave.

So on Sunday, she and other Episcopal Church loyalists from St. Stephen's plan to hold services at a local women's club.

"It's like a man and woman getting a divorce, and now they have to have two households," she said. "It saddens me greatly."

The 2.2 million-member Episcopal Church and other mainline denominations have long struggled over what is the true Christian approach on social issues. The fight has come to a head among Fort Worth Episcopalians, dividing congregations and setting up a legal showdown.

At the urging of Bishop Jack Iker, delegates to the Fort Worth Diocese's annual convention today are to take the final vote for realigning with a conservative, Argentina-based province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Fort Worth clergy and lay delegates overwhelmingly approved the break in a first vote at last year's diocesan convention, and Bishop Iker expects that margin to hold today.

"We no longer see a secure future in the Episcopal Church as traditional believers," he said.

(Full Story)

Not very much of a surprise, but still a sad event. Wonder if more than the four parishes already known are staying.

Comments

[faghatesgods.livejournal.com]

The shismisation is good for progress. It exposes the extremists for what they are.

Sorry if this affects you personally. But overall, I consider it a good thing.

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

People who are unwilling to accept all human beings of good will as being fundamentally equal are incomprehensible to me - and from my admittedly non-Christian viewpoint, in fundamental opposition to Jesus' primary message.

[major7.livejournal.com]

That still sounds like the Ft. Worth I left years ago where the women have their hair jacked to Jesus, a bible in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

[timcub.livejournal.com]

I actually agree. I'm sure it's going to be deeply painful for a lot of people, but at least it will mean that the hate-filled rhetoric will be gone from the churches that choose to stay.

[gryphons-hole.livejournal.com]

"It's like a man and woman getting a divorce..."

Not just 'couple', but man and a woman. Sounds to me like the woman has already left the fold. Can't imagine her being truly sad over it. Well, sad maybe, as long as she is still allowed her discrimination, she will come through it all, I'm sure...

[djmrswhite.livejournal.com]

i'm somewhat confused by this. what happens when there's a split? who stays episcopalian? who doesn't?