Province IV Bishops Issue Position Paper

Bishop vonRosenberg’s Comments on Position Paper

The bishops of Province IV (the Southeastern United States) met just prior to the Provincial Synod for part of the second week in June. We talked among ourselves about a number of subjects, as we prepared for Synod and for General Convention. During our discussions, it became obvious that we shared some concerns within that body. Indeed, we have all sensed from the people of our dioceses - clergy and lay - a certain anxiety or confusion or frustration. These reactions have come from Episcopalians who have been puzzled by the lack of response from their bishops to rather extreme statements and actions concerning matters of faith and of church polity.

I have attempted to address some of those concerns in my annual address at Diocesan Convention (reproduced in this publication last March) and in my letter found in the May issue, in which I called attention to the bishops' plan to publish a series of pamphlets about the faith of the Church. That plan, by the way, has now been put into motion by official action.

However, the bishops as a body have not previously responded to the people and ideas mentioned above. We have discussed those matters, I assure you, and have grappled with possible ways to respond. However, until now in my experience, there has not emerged an expression of response with which we could agree. What follows is the product of prayerful attention and careful conversation. These words attempt to convey to Episcopalians in Province IV a sense of assurance about your bishops' faith in Jesus Christ as presented in the Nicene Creed, our commitment to the ordination vows which we hold dear, and our recognition that some bishops have not maintained that faith or that commitment. I commend the document to you as the imperfect creation of fellow travelers on the road of Faith.

— The Rt. Rev. Charles G. vonRosenberg

“We, the bishops of the Fourth Province of the Episcopal Church meeting in Synod in June, 2000 A.D., are aware of the commitment made by all bishops of the church in their ordination vow to be guardians of the church’s unity and faith as defined in the Nicene Creed, and guardians of its polity as defined in the Constitution, Canons, and the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

“We hereby reaffirm that this church does teach that Jesus Christ is “the only Son of God eternally begotten of the Father. . .” and that “For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. . .”, and we further reaffirm our commitment as bishops to uphold the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal Church.

“We note that John S. Spong, the retired Bishop of Newark, has often questioned and reinterpreted the tenets of the Christian faith. In the Episcopal Church we believe anyone, lay or clergy, has the freedom to question any of the church’s teachings; but if Bishop Spong or any others teach and think contrary to the faith of the church, their teaching represents only that individual and does not represent the Episcopal Church. We further note that C. FitzSimons Allison, retired Bishop of South Carolina and Alex D. Dickson, retire Bishop of West Tennessee, have challenged the polity of the Episcopal Church in ways that are disturbing and unsettling to the church’s unity which we as bishops are called to uphold.”

Adopted June 8, 2000
Kanuga Conferences
Hendersonville, North Carolina