Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth Panel advises splitting from U.S. Episcopal Church

Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH -- A committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth recommended
Monday that the diocese leave the U.S. Episcopal Church and affiliate with
another province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Because the proposal involves a constitutional change, it would first have
to be approved at the diocese's annual convention Nov. 16-17 and again in
2008, Bishop Jack Iker said.
"This is just a first step," Iker said.
In a statement, the Rev. Ryan Reed, president of the diocese's Standing
Committee, said: "The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth has always been a
traditional, conservative diocese, adhering to the beliefs and practices of
the historic catholic faith. This means it has often found itself in
conflict with decisions of the General Convention, which has continued a
series of innovations in liturgy, theology, and the sacraments.
"To submit to and comply with the current direction of the General
Convention would mean for us to embrace a distortion of the Christian faith
that our forebears would not recognize as a continuation of the Apostles'
teaching and fellowship."
The committee's recommendation widens a rift in the 2.3 million-member
Episcopal Church.
The Fort Worth diocese has long been a leader in the conservative camp.
Iker's predecessor, Bishop Clarence Pope, was at odds for years with the
national church hierarchy. Pope helped found the Episcopal Synod of America,
which was formed to counter what it decried as liberalism in the church.
Ten years ago, the Episcopal Synod in effect adopted a declaration of
independence. Its members voted to move toward establishing a
nongeographical "province" within the national church.
Staff writer Alex Branch contributed to this report, which includes material
from Star-Telegram archives.