letters between bishops

Update a public statement by the Bishop of Dallas has been published here

Some correspondence has emerged:

• The Living Church published this dated 21 April: Letters Express Bishops’ Concerns to Archbishop of Canterbury, Presiding Bishop

• Episcopal News Service published this on the same day: Griswold asks bishops for clarification on letters.

The Living Church reports:

In the May 1 print issue of the magazine, TLC reported that the April 6 letter to Archbishop Williams was written to clarify some points made in a letter which was hand-delivered to him following the March 11-16 House of Bishops’ meeting at Camp Allen in Navasota, Texas.

The two letters of 6 April were signed by a total of 21 bishops, including 18 diocesan bishops (there are 100 domestic US dioceses plus several overseas dioceses within The Episcopal Church). The letter to Rowan Williams asks for a meeting at the end of May. No mention of this letter or request is included in the other letter to Frank Griswold.

The signatures include the diocesans of 10 out of 11 of the “NACDAP” dioceses (Albany, Central Florida, Dallas, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy, Rio Grande, San Joaquin, South Carolina, Springfield, Western Kansas.), except Keith Ackerman of Quincy, and also two suffragans and an assistant bishop serving in NACDAP dioceses.

They also include 8 other diocesans who do not belong to NACDAP:

• David Bane Diocese of Southern Virginia
• James Folts Diocese of West Texas
• Bertram Herlong Diocese of Tennessee
• Edward Little Diocese of Northern Indiana
• John Lipscomb Diocese of Southwest Florida
• Bruce MacPherson Diocese of Western Louisiana
• Wallis Ohl Diocese of Northwest Texas
• Don Wimberly Diocese of Texas

The research mentioned in the letters can be found here.

The Living Church has published a further item.