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JACKSONVILLE: Redeemer Attorney Writes Scathing Letter to Bishop Howard
May 9, 2006
The Rt. Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida
325 Market Street
Jacksonville , Florida 32202
Dear Bishop Howard:
I assume by now you have seen a copy of the recent correspondence from Christopher Smith, Chief of Staff to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury, directed to the Reverend Neil Lebhar and Mr. William Schroeder of Redeemer Anglican Church concerning Redeemer's application to the Panel of Reference. In case you have not seen it, a copy of the letter is attached hereto.
It is apparent from the letter that the Archbishop feels your inhibition of Fr. Lebhar and the other five priests of this Diocese, and the subsequent lawsuit against the clergy and individual vestry members of Redeemer, were inappropriate and contrary to the protocol established by the Panel of Reference.
Specifically, the Panel requested that parties refrain from any civil or ecclesiastical proceedings during the period of reference to the Panel. Your recent punitive actions against these clergy and parishioners can only be construed by the Panel and the Archbishop, and the worldwide Anglican Communion for that matter, as an attempt to circumvent the procedures and protocol established by the Panel, effectively usurping the authority of the Panel. The Panel was initiated by the Primates, including the Presiding Bishop, as part of their response to the Windsor Report, and it should be respected.
Since you have repeatedly and publicly asserted that you are a "Windsor bishop," and since you have always proclaimed that you desire an amicable and Christian-like resolution to this current dilemma in our Diocese, on behalf of Fr. Lebhar, Fr. Pascoe, Fr. McCaslin, Fr. Sandifer, Fr. Needham , Fr. Farmer and Fr. Sanders, I request that you reconsider your course and rescind the inhibition placed upon these godly men, and discontinue any actions you may be taking toward their deposition.
This would be an open and obvious gesture of good will and could only be construed as conciliatory and respectful of the Archbishop and the spirit of the Windsor Report and the Panel of Reference protocol. Otherwise, your continued prosecution of the inhibitions and the lawsuit will only serve to reinforce a widely held opinion that the Diocese of Florida is perfectly willing to walk apart from the rest of the Anglican Communion to serve its own interests.
I hope and pray you will prayerfully consider our request. I look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully Yours,
DPD/mb David P. Dearing
Mr. Stephen Busey, Esq.
Mr. Christopher Smith
