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 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 task
force report needs serious and prayerful consideration. It will come
before the House of Bishops' 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 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
jurisdiction. "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 unions. Alternate
bishops were not proposed for liberal parishes that favour blessing gay
and lesbian couples that are located in conservative dioceses.
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.
"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. 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.

END