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BELLEVILLE, IL: ACA Leadership Call on Archbishop Hepworth To Resign
"We do not have faith in your ability to continue to lead the TAC", say leaders
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
September 28, 2011
Clergy and laity of the General Synod of The Anglican Church in America, meeting in Belleville, Illinois, have called on the Archbishop of the Traditional Anglican Communion, John Hepworth to resign.
In a "Dear John" letter, they wrote, "We are aware of the letter sent to you by the House of Clergy of the Anglican Church in America (last week) asking you to resign your position as the Primate of the TAC. (See story here) http://tinyurl.com/3o78ygc
"We are also aware that you were asked to take this action as quickly as possible.
"Further, we are aware that you may choose not to do so.
"For that reason, we, the clergy and laity of the Anglican Church in America meeting in our General Synod, wish to convey to you our feeling concerning your leadership. We do not have faith in your ability to continue to lead the TAC nor do we wish to follow in the direction you appear to be going. We, as clergy and laity, ask for your resignation."
The Adelaide-based primate told The Australian newspaper that calls for his resignation by the Anglican Church in America House of Clergy were spurred on by church politics and the ongoing public spat with the Adelaide Archdiocese over the rape investigation.
He said there had been a split within the TAC in America, with some members preferring not to unify with the Catholic Church.
"In England, Canada and Australia, we're going ahead with some careful planning and we hope our people will become involved early in the New Year," he said.
"In the US there's been a bit of a split and this group, as far as I can see, are the ones who have decided not to go with the Pope's offer at this stage."
"Naturally those not going in to the unity at this stage would prefer a primate who wasn't going in to it either."
Despite this, he said he was "quite unmoved" and would proceed with negotiations with the Vatican.
"The religious scene in the US is one of constant ferment, just like politics in the US," he said. Hepworth has also lost the support of more of his flock as the Southern Africa leader of his church joined US calls for his resignation.
TAC Southern Africa Bishop Michael Gill said last week he would not follow Archbishop Hepworth's moves towards unity with the Catholic Church.
"Archbishop John Hepworth has exposed some of his deeper thoughts on Anglicanism in recent interviews, and these are indeed cause for concern, as he has publicly declared the Roman Church as his first love and alluded that his commitment to Anglicanism was never wholehearted," Bishop Gill said.
"He is, sadly, no longer supplying any spiritual leadership to his bishops or the people of the TAC, and the silence from the Office of the Primate has been deafening.
"Many of us have had almost no indication of life from that quarter for the past three years, let alone leadership."
END
