Episcopal bishops meeting in Navasota

Retreat is in advance of Lambeth Conference in England

By RICHARD VARA
Houston Chronicle

The Episcopal House of Bishops is holding a spiritual retreat and short business session at Camp Allen in Navasota, the final meeting of U.S. church leaders before the worldwide Lambeth Conference in England this summer.

The once-a-decade meeting of Anglican bishops and archbishops is set for July 21-Aug. 3 at the University of Kent in Lambeth, England. Although a voluntary association of 38 independent provinces, Lambeth is known for setting worldwide policy and doctrine for the 80 million-member communion.

The communion and the U.S. denomination have been embroiled in a bitter division since 2003 when the American church authorized the consecration of an openly homosexual bishop.

Bishops from the provinces of Uganda, Nigeria and Rwanda have said they are not going to Lambeth. Instead, they are encouraging bishops to attend the Global Anglican Future Conference in June in Jerusalem.

"What is the use of the Lambeth conference for a three weeks' jamboree which will sweep these issues under the carpet," Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria said in January, referring to the issues of sexuality and biblical interpretation. "The issue is that church leaders are endorsing what is wrong."

The conflict has rocked the U.S. church, too, with scores of parishes leaving and seeking protection under more traditional and conservative primates in Africa and Asia.

On the business docket for Wednesday is a recommended disciplinary action against conservative Bishop John-David Schofield whose Diocese of San Joaquin. Calif., voted to leave the Episcopal Church in December and realign with the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of the Americas, based in Argentina.

However, Schofield announced his resignation of his San Joaquin office Thursday in a letter to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the House of Bishops. The letter said he would rather step down "than force the House of Bishops to a vote." Bishops must vote to accept the resignation.

Also threatening to leave are Bishops Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh and Jack Ikar of Fort Worth.

The retreat is closed to the news media. Spokeswoman Neva Rae Fox said daily e-mail reports would be issued and a telephone conference would be held at the conclusion of the business meeting Wednesday.