Diocesan Council considers Report of The Primate's Task Force On Adequate/Alternative Episcopal Oversight for Dissenting Minorities

The report of a Canadian House of Bishop's task force that recommended a form of “flying bishops” for Anglicans opposed to blessing same sex unions received a cool reception at Diocesan Council last month.

“It seems as if they are recommending an alternate church,” said Archdeacon David Retter of St. James, Vancouver.

The “Report of The Primate's Task Force On Adequate/Alternative Episcopal Oversight for Dissenting Minorities” proposed that a parish that opposes the blessing of same sex unions can ask for and be assigned an alternate bishop if it votes to do so by a margin of 80 per cent.

The task force envisions that the arrangement would be a temporary measure, lasting no more than six years.

Unlike the selection of an Episcopal Visitor, a bishop chosen to give pastoral care to dissenting parishes in the Diocese of New Westminster, the diocesan bishop would have no say in the selection of the alternative bishop. He or she would be appointed by one of the five Archbishops – either a provincial Metropolitan or the Primate (head) of the national church..

New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham told the council that the report needs serious and prayerful consideration. It will come before the House of Bishop's meeting April 15 to 18, and could go on in the same form or amended to the national church's General Synod at the end of May.

The task force recommended that the plan for alternative bishops would apply to the whole Anglican Church of Canada if the General Synod endorses giving dioceses the option of instituting same sex blessings. If such a motion fails, then they recommended that the plan only apply to the Diocese of New Westminster. (The diocese would have to agree to it.)

“It seems to raise a great many questions which are not worked out,” said Bishop Ingham. “We have to ask how the temporary partition of dioceses along theological lines is going to contribute to unity.”

He said that there would be a danger that such “segregation” would in fact become permanent, and serve as a template for future disputes that split Anglicans.

The report calls for the “voluntary ceding of jurisdiction” by diocesan bishops. “That goes much further than the so-called flying bishops in England,” said the bishop.

A form of alternative episcopal oversight was set up in the Church of England in 1993 to facilitate ministry to the approximately 300 parishes (out of 10,000) opposed to the ordination of women. The AEO scheme was labelled “flying bishops” because the alternative bishops flew about the country ministering to the parishes in their charge.

Bishop Ingham said that in England diocesan bishops never gave up their jurisdiction, and “flying bishops” were invited into dioceses.

Diocesan Chancellor George Cadman told the council that he was not sure that bishops could indeed legally and canonically give up jurisdiction. “The report does speak of voluntary steps being taken. Voluntary may be nice, but it may not be possible.” Cadman said he intends to consult with chancellors across the country on the issue. (Chancellors are the chief legal officers of each diocese, and of the national church.)

Two members of council suggested that the task force report appeared one-sided in that alternative episcopal oversight was proposed only when there were objections to the blessing of same sex unions. Alternate bishops were not proposed for those in conservative dioceses who favour blessing gay and lesbian couples.

Archdeacon Andrew Pike of St. Anne's, Richmond, said that the terms of reference for the task force asked them to look into measures to provide adequate oversight for all “dissenting minorities.”

“The commission choose to look at only one issue,” said Pike. “Why?”

“It appears that if you are a liberal diocese you have to protect the conservatives, but if you are a conservative diocese you don't have to protect the liberals,” said the Rev. Paula Porter Leggett of St. Faith's, Vancouver.

Bishop Ingham said that the House of Bishops could accept, reject, or change the task force's report. The same holds true for the General Synod when it deals with what comes from the House of Bishops. He said that the council and possibly the Diocesan Synod in mid May will want to take a close look at the decisions being made on the national level, and decide how to then proceed.