Bishop John Howard Reacts to the Pastoral Council and Primatial Vicar Proposals

http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/2448/

[Stand Firm] 3 Mar 2007--Even worse, the establishment of a “primatial vicar” would unlock a massive Pandora’s Box. Today’s dissenters claim they want additional “oversight” because of issues of human sexuality. What will tomorrow’s dissenters claim? Perhaps there are other groups (indeed we can be certain there are) who will want their own “primate,” or their own special “niche bishop,” because of other issues – issues and conflicts we cannot even imagine today. Where will the fracturing end? When will the layers of “alternate oversight” cease to pile one upon another? The beauty of our Episcopal structure has long been this: people recognize the oversight of their bishop and their church, and their bishop and church in turn recognize individuals’ right to disagree and to question. In this structure lies unity without oppression, recognizable authority without theological tyranny. The proposal for “alternate primatial oversight” constitutes, instead, a recipe for chaos in our polity andc onfusion – deep, lasting, and permanently scarring spiritual confusion – among our people.

"The beauty of our Episcopal structure has long been this: people recognize the oversight of their bishop and their church, and their bishop and church in turn recognize individuals’ right to disagree and to question." Where has he been for the past few years?