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Church cuts Episcopal affiliation
May 25, 2005
TULSA, Okla. (AP) Nearly two years after the Episcopal Church USA elected a gay bishop in New Hampshire, members of a south Tulsa Episcopal church have decided to withdraw from the denomination.
The leadership of Church of the Holy Spirit Episcopal met with Oklahoma Bishop Robert Moody last week to discuss details of the withdrawal.
A congregational meeting was held Sunday to explain the situation to members.
Steve Juett, senior warden of the Church of the Holy Spirit, said the decision to leave the Episcopal Church was not based solely on the gay bishop issue, but was the culmination of many things over many years.
"We feel that the Episcopal Church is moving away from the orthodox teachings of the Anglican communion," Juett said.
The approval of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, a non-celibate gay man, as bishop of New Hampshire nearly two years ago was "probably the final straw," he said.
Junior Warden Ralph Faulkner said the Episcopal Church "seems to be going to more of a neo-Christian stance, dictated by culture."
Most of the members of the Church of the Holy Spirit are orthodox in their outlook, he said, and hope to affiliate with the worldwide Anglican communion, which still "holds scripture and its authority highly."
The 77-million-member Anglican communion has sharply criticized the Episcopal Church, for its approval of a gay bishop.
Faulkner and Juett said Bishop Moody has been gracious and understanding and that the separation has been amicable.
The Rev. Canon Charles Woltz, spokesman for the bishop, said he understood that the key areas of disagreement were the interpretation of scripture, issues of human sexuality and church government.
He said meetings with the church leaders were civil and gracious.
"They've been kind, as Christian and as cooperative as possible," he said of the Church of the Holy Spirit leadership.
"Our intent is to try our best to be sure that whatever we do, on both sides of this issue, we separate as Christian brothers and sisters. There can indeed be reconciliation in leaving."
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