The Rev. Glen Matis, past chairman of the committee and a current member, said it was a "matter of trust" that led to the standing committee's seeking his ouster.

Matis would not elaborate other than to say the trust issue "was beyond fiscal."

Matis said the committee would issue a public letter explaining its decision in a few days.

In a telephone interview last night, the 62-year-old Bennison said he was "done praying" on it and is staying.

The standing committee, which is the top administrative board of the 65,000-member diocese - which takes in Philadelphia and the four suburban counties - voted unanimously Tuesday night to ask Bennison to leave by March 31.

The Rev. Greg Brewer, rector of Good Samaritan parish in Paoli, said yesterday there had been a "mounting sense of frustration over his leadership, concerns about financial mismanagement, that he oftentimes listens only to himself, and that he does not lead in a collegial fashion."

Bennison, who has served as diocesan bishop here since 1998, yesterday disputed the accusation that he does not lead collegially. He said he consults broadly.

Furthermore, the standing committee was "opposed to the forward direction I've been leading the diocese," Bennison said.

He decided not to resign, he said, because "I came to the conclusion it was not in the best interests of the diocese."

"Our disagreements are not a reason for dissolving our relationships with one another," he said.

Bennison, a former parish priest and seminary professor of theology, was vigorously criticized at the diocese's General Convention in November for proposing to use $1.2 million in endowment monies to balance the diocesan budget.

He also was castigated for using $3 million in endowment money to buy 618 acres along Maryland's Elk River and the northern Chesapeake Bay to build a children's camp and retreat center.

The convention rejected his proposed $4.3 million diocesan budget for 2006. Several speakers there also called for his resignation, at which time he promised to step down if, after prayerful reflection, he concluded it was the right thing.

Bennison has been harshly criticized by church conservatives who say he is too liberal, and several wealthy, conservative parishes here have protested his support of gay marriage and gay ordination by withholding their diocesan contributions.

Among them is the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rosemont.

The Rev. David Moyer, rector of Good Shepherd, yesterday said he was "pleased that the standing committee has taken this action," but he urged the panel "to recognize that his failure as a bishop began with dishonesty and the abandonment of his vows to guard the faith."

The diocese has called a special convention for March 25 to adopt a permanent budget for 2006. Bennison said he did not believe the issue of his resignation would be on the agenda.

END