Via Media Groups Meet, Form National Alliance in Atlanta

by Jan Nunley for ENS

Representatives of 12 independent Episcopal groups opposed to efforts to "realign" the Episcopal Church along more conservative lines met together for the first time at a retreat in Atlanta March 25-27, and emerged as an alliance called Via Media USA.

They represent laypeople and clergy from the grassroots organizations who say they hold diverse opinions about controversial issues in the church, but desire to remain in communion with both the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Via Media groups include Albany Via Media and Concerned Episcopalians of the St. Lawrence Deanery (both in the Diocese of Albany); Episcopal Voices of Central Florida; The Gathering (Dallas); Fort Worth Via Media; Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP); Via Media Rio Grande (VMRG); E-Way (San Diego); Remain Episcopal (San Joaquin); Episcopal Forum of South Carolina (EFSC); Southwest Florida Via Media Episcopalians; and Springfield Via Media (SVM).

Leaders of the groups said they did not discuss the controversy over the consecration of an openly gay bishop in the Diocese of New Hampshire or the issue of same-sex blessings during their meeting, and preferred not to reveal their individual stances.

We must work for the unity of the church,
not at all costs, but at all risks

"We have acknowledged different perspectives," said the Rev. Michael Russell, rector of All Souls' Episcopal Church in San Diego and a member of Episcopal Way of San Diego, at the group's closing news conference. "We haven't criticized or judged any of those perspectives, and that's the kind of mindset we try to promote here and in our local communities."

"We believe that our position represents the vast majority of the church, even if it is not perceived that way in our particular dioceses," said Dr. Joan Gundersen of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh. Organizers said all of the groups would consult with their own members in coming weeks about how to move forward as a group.

Most of the groups are located in dioceses that have joined or are considering membership in the newly formed Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, which is seeking to provide "alternative episcopal oversight" for dissenting congregations in moderate-to-liberal dioceses. Via Media leaders said they think the Network's ultimate goal is to replace the Episcopal Church entirely within the Anglican Communion, and that, if not opposed, its actions may result in schism.

"Fear is not the word, but we pray that will not happen," said Gundersen.

Members of some of the groups reported that the level of anger and even "hatred" in their dioceses has increased in recent months. Some told of clergy and bishops refusing to be seen with those who did not agree with them on joining the Network, and of a rector who refused to wear vestments made by a woman who opposed his position. "It's Donatism in a modern form," said Dixie Hutchinson of The Gathering in Dallas.

Others, such as the Central Florida group, said their bishop has worked for tolerance of all opinions while standing firm on remaining within the Episcopal Church. "Bishop Howe has had lots of pressure," said John Townsend. "He has pressure from churches that want to leave, but he has stood very firmly about property and he is not going to let it go away."

Another member, Donna Bott, said a moderate clergyman told her he didn't feel at all intimidated by Bishop Howe, but did feel pressured by other priests, particularly on the diocesan email list for clergy. In fact, several leaders cited the Internet as a two-edged sword: a wonderful organizing tool but, at the same time, a frequent source of misinformation, confusion and ill feeling.

At the group's closing Eucharist, Atlanta Bishop Neil Alexander quoted missionary bishop Charles Henry Brent, saying, "Unity is not a luxury, but a necessity. We must work for the unity of the church, 'not at all costs, but at all risks.'"

"My sense of the House of Bishops meeting is that the Episcopal Church is alive and well and vigorous and committed to the mission and gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and let us have no doubt about that," said Alexander. "However, it was interesting to listen to person after person talk about the fact that, in their judgment, the church is broken.

"Friends, I don't believe the church is broken...Virtually all of those who want the church to be different absented themselves from the table, and I think that Bishop Brent would have said that, no matter what, you've got to take the risk of what it means to be in unity and fellowship--not in agreement, but in reconciliation."

Two observers from the Episcopal Church's Executive Council attended the meeting, and Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold sent a letter of greeting to the group."These are challenging days for our church, and yet they contain within themselves an invitation to be the many membered body of the risen Christ in a deeper and fuller way," Griswold wrote. "Rooted and grounded in common prayer, our divergent points of view find their place of meeting and reconciliation in word and sacrament and a life shared in the service of the Gospel.

"The diverse center is the overwhelming reality of our church and its voice is urgently needed, both within the church and in our fractured and polarized world."

[Editor's Note: Donatism is a heresy that developed in the 4th century in North Africa, occasioned by clergy who handed over their copies of scripture during the Diocletian persecutions. The Donatists considered this an act of apostasy and declared that sacraments celebrated by such persons were not valid. Donatism was challenged by a number of church fathers and was rejected by the church in 411 CE, though pockets of the belief remained until the 7th century.]

Via Media Groups Have Strong Appeal to Centrists

by Deborah Zacher for ENS

When representatives of 12 grassroots groups of Episcopalians gathered in Atlanta recently under the umbrella of Via Media USA, they were following a 400year-old precedent in Anglican life.

"The term 'Via Media' comes from the 16thcentury Anglican theologian Richard Hooker, whose work established Anglicanism as a 'middle way' between continental Protestantism and Catholicism," said the Rev. Edward Copland of Southwest Florida Via Media Episcopalians, the newest Via Media group. "Via Media groups in the Episcopal Church provide a balance to the American Anglican Council and Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, whose Web sites and publications call for criticism of the Episcopal Church and its presiding bishop."

The first of what became the Episcopal Via Media groups, known as The Gathering, started about ten years ago in the Diocese of Dallas. "We began as a support group for clergy and laity concerned about the leanings of diocesan leadership," said convener Dixie Hutchinson. "We were more or less successful through the years in electing some moderates to diocesan positions, but now find ourselves largely outnumbered." They plan to make an effort to field some moderate candidates for diocesan Executive Council, Standing Committee and General Convention deputies at their annual convention in October.

Responding to an email request for comment on The Gathering, Bishop James Stanton of Dallas stated: "No one has contacted me. I have no knowledge of such a group. I have met with persons on the many sides of the issues facing our Church. I am wondering what 'middle way' this purported group has found between them?"

"The E-Way Via Media organization in San Diego grew out of a group that has met under various names, such as First Tuesday or Clergy 2000," said the Rev. Andrew Green. The current group has been meeting since 1999, when their goal was to send a unified deputation to General Convention in Denver.

"The hope was to elect a deputation that could unequivocally support the ministry of women in all orders. We were successful," said Green. "Since GC 2003 we have felt the need to represent a position that is focused on working out our differences within the Episcopal Church. We believe that this represents a significant majority of our diocese.

"As we move toward the election of the fourth Bishop of San Diego, we hope to offer candidates who can respond to the call of the whole diocese. We, like the bulk of our diocese, seek a bishop who will bring us together for Christ's mission. We do not minimize the pain that members of the diocese and the church at large are currently experiencing and we sincerely desire to walk through this together."

The Pittsburgh Via Media group has gone through several incarnations. "In August 2002, deputies to Pittsburgh's Diocesan Convention received notice of 'Resolution One', which would be voted on at the November 2002 convention," said Dr. Joan R. Gundersen, vice president of policy and planning for Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP). "This measure called into question a number of changes in the church since 1975, and positioned the diocese as opposed to any acknowledgment of homosexual relations. A group organized to oppose this resolution.

While it failed to block Resolution One, the group was successful in raising interest in forming a voice for liberals and moderates in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Conversation resulted in the 2003 formation of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP).

"By May 2003, steps had been taken to draft a mission statement, and the group began plans to present an alternative voice at General Convention. Following General Convention, membership grew rapidly as Bishop Duncan called a special convention to discuss six resolutions in opposition to the actions of General Convention and as he emerged as the leader of a schismatic movement," Gundersen said.

Gundersen added that she believes Bishop Robert Duncan does not know quite how to respond. "He has made no overt act to completely silence us or punish us," she said, though she feels he has exerted political pressure in diocesan meetings and has circumvented search processes in liberal parishes.

"Since the diocesan council, standing committee, and the trustees all have been sued in equity by an individual and Calvary Parish, asking that the courts order diocesan leadership to follow the canons, any action that might be seen as directly separating himself from ECUSA or alienating property now has legal ramifications," she said.

"After General Convention 2003, Bishop Terence Kelshaw and others in the Diocese of the Rio Grande began inviting parishes to take the name 'Episcopal' off their signs and letterheads," said the Rev. Brian Taylor of Via Media Rio Grande. "They assured members of the diocese that no money would be going to ECUSA, and that if parishes wanted to leave ECUSA, the diocese would help them do so. The bishop and other diocesan leaders also were active participants in the American Anglican Council meetings. People of our diocese were very polarized, and there was talk about a possible split with ECUSA. In this atmosphere many of us came together.

"We were committed to remaining under the canonical authority of and in communion with all in ECUSA, retaining diocesan and parish property, and respecting the different voices within our diocese. We had two large public meetings--over 340 attended-where many expressed relief,, saying that this was the first opportunity in many years to talk in a respectful dialogue."

But the respect wasn't necessarily returned, said Taylor. "A February letter from our Standing Committee, mailed to all members of our diocese, included a letter that Via Media had sent to all bishops and standing committees of the Episcopal Church asking them to withhold consent for the election of a new bishop in our diocese, and citing the reasons for this request," he said.

"The Standing Committee included their letter of response which they sent to all bishops and standing committees. In this letter they emphasize that they are duly following canonical process, have no intention of splitting from the Episcopal Church, and defend their decision to not meet with us as something that would have contributed to a politicization of the process of discernment.

"In regards to Via Media, they claim that 'misunderstanding about this process' has led us to 'attempt to block the election.' Further, they called our attempts to subvert the due process of the election 'reprehensible, destructive of the life of the diocese."

Bishop Terence Kelshaw responded to an email request for comment on Via Media Rio Grande, but said he preferred to absent himself from the discussion.

Fort Worth Via Media started in November 2003. "Bishop Jack Leo Iker was the issue that led to the formation of the group," said spokesperson Barbi Click. "Our goal is to disengage ourselves from the stronghold of the NACDP (Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes)." Fort Worth Via Media's Web site states that it is "an organization of ordained and lay Episcopalians in the Diocese of Fort Worth who are going to remain within the Episcopal Church of the United States of America."

"After General Convention Bishop [JohnDavid] Schofield called an emergency meeting with eight deputies to report to members of the diocese," said the Rev. Rick Matters, co-chair of Remain Episcopal, San Joaquin. "That report included statements/opinions from the bishop and others that the Spirit of the Lord has left the Episcopal Church in those people who voted in favor of the consecration of Gene Robinson. At that time, very much in line with the AAC, they were talking about a parallel or separate province and using the language of divorce. One person asked whether the diocese needed to use the word 'Episcopal' in its name.

"Nancy Key, co-chair of Remain Episcopal, and I spoke publicly in favor of the convention votes. We met afterwards and realized we were a minority but recognized there were probably others who thought like us," Matters recalled. "At our October diocesan convention the language of divorce had disappeared but there was a lot of condemnation, not from the bishop but from other people in convention, including the keynote speaker and others."

In fact, Matters said, the bishop has discouraged such behavior. "At the diocesan convention, Schofield spoke about his own experience as an evangelical in a more liberal diocese prior to his election and consecration and asserted that he wanted everyone to have a voice in this diocese. So we have been accepted and tolerated, and I think he is honoring his stated openness.

"There are passionate feelings, of course, strong feelings, and there was a lot of condemning during our diocesan convention which was unpleasant, but it was not from the bishop; it was from others."

Episcopal Forum of South Carolina was instituted following a special diocesan convention held in October 2003. "EFSC was organized on December 20, 2003 by five founding Episcopalians," said spokesperson Lynn Pagliaro. "EFSC's goal is 'to insure the continued existence of an Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina that is in full participation with ECUSA, its constitution, canons and leadership.' EFSC states that it cannot support the Diocese's intention to join the Network because, by its own current self-definition, the Network is a divisive force within ECUSA.

"If Network membership is sustained by the Diocesan convention, members of EFSC intend to exclude themselves from Network participation 'because the Network represents a particular advocacy to the exclusion of others held by a majority of ECUSA dioceses, parishes, clergy and members."

Contacted by email, Bishop Edward Salmon of South Carolina reported that he and Bishop Suffragan William Skilton met with five members of EFSC in February. "Their stated purpose is unity, their actual purpose is to support the consecration of Gene Robinson and same sex blessings," said Salmon. "We have those in the diocese who do support it and they have always been supported by me, even though we don't agree."

Salmon said that the diocese does not have a policy to deny anyone appropriate news coverage and that the group's events could certainly be listed in diocesan publications. He said he knows who the members of EFSC are, since "I have been bishop here for 15 years."

Salmon also was adamant about his commitment to staying in the Episcopal Church, saying "my family has been in it for generations.The fact is that the Via Media group is not nearly as diverse as the diocese. In fact it has almost a singular point of view," he added. "I am impressed that Via Media groups are found only in conservative dioceses and nowhere else. Dioceses like Pennsylvania and others who have persecuted orthodox Episcopalians have no such groups."

According to Albany Via Media's Web site, the organization was founded when Bishop Daniel Herzog, a board member of the American Anglican Council, and Bishop David Bena, a member and leader in the AAC, spoke of realignment and impaired communion with the Episcopal Church USA following General Convention. Albany Via Media...was created to keep the Diocese of Albany in communion with the Episcopal Church ."

"The Diocese of Albany called a special convention on September 20 to vote on five resolutions responding to General Convention 2003," said Andrew Grimmke of Concerned Episcopalians of the St. Lawrence Deanery (CESLD), another Via Media group in the Diocese of Albany. "Four of the founding members of CESLD were in attendance and found the proceedings unfair and one-sided." The mission of CESLD is to gain support for the Diocese of Albany to remain in full communion with all churches in the Episcopal Church, USA and resist efforts for realignment.

Episcopal Voices of Central Florida was formed in December 2003. "We were concerned about statements being made by leaders in the diocese and by resolutions adopted at a special September convening of our diocesan convention that pointed toward a potential break with ECUSA," said spokesperson Leslie Poole. "Although we are of differing opinions about sexuality issues within the national church, Episcopal Voices represents the voice of Episcopalians in Central Florida who do not want a break with ECUSA and the Anglican Communion. We are striving for unity, despite differences of opinion, and are committed to remaining in communion with ECUSA and the Anglican Communion."

"Bishop John Howe and our diocesan leadership have not opposed Episcopal Voices," said Poole. "However, there have been a number of untruths about Episcopal Voices spread throughout the area by others."

Springfield Via Media (SVM) was formed in January, 2004. Betsy Rogers, media director for the group, stated that SVM has three overall purposes: "to keep the Diocese of Springfield within ECUSA; to open the channels of communication and disseminate balanced information in the diocese; and to refocus energies on the mission and ministry of Christ to which we are all called."

"The members of Springfield Via Media are confident that they represent the majority of laity and clergy within the Diocese of Springfield," said Chuck Evans, president of Springfield Via Media. "We believe that the voice of the laity has been suppressed and that only by organizing can we regain our democratic voice and be effective in thwarting the drive to move the diocese into the AAC and the Network."

Bishop Peter Beckwith did not respond to an email request for comment.

Southwest Florida Via Media Episcopalians, formed in mid-March, 2004, is the newest Via Media group. "Concerned clergy began meeting after our October diocesan convention when Bishop [John] Lipscomb introduced the idea of withholding funds from our giving to ECUSA," said the Rev. Edward M. Copland, convener of the Southwest Florida group. "We had another convention and achieved some compromise, but there was no clear leadership support for ECUSA. This concerned many of us. In December the Diocese of Southwest Florida was erroneously named as part of the Network, and our bishop acknowledged he had been one of the authors of the Network's 'theological statements.' The concerned clergy decided to form Southwest Florida Via Media Episcopalians."

Lipscomb of Southwest Florida said he had learned most of what he knows about the development of the Via Media organization in his diocese from the media. "One presbyter who is a founding member contacted me. I have not seen a roster of members and do not know who gave their assent to the formation of a so-called Via Media organization in this diocese.

"It is unclear what the real agenda of the Via Media organization might be," Lipscomb went on. "I am not sure that the current group calling itself Via Media represents the Anglican concept of a middle way as expressed in classical Anglican theology and practice. I am also unclear how this organization understands Holy Scriptures and the role of the wider communion of faith. I believe the globalization of the Church requires us to look beyond our borders when we take actions that depart from the teachings of our Communion."

He said he has not been invited to meet with Southwest Florida Via Media Episcopalians, but is ready to do so when they request such a meeting.

Bishops Howe (Central Florida), Iker (Fort Worth), Duncan (Pittsburgh), Schofield (San Joaquin), Beckwith (Springfield), and Herzog and Bena (Albany) did not respond to email requests for comment on the Episcopal Via Media groups in their dioceses.

As of March 23, 2004, the dioceses of Central Florida, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Rio Grande, San Joaquin, South Carolina and Springfield had voted to join the Network of Anglican Parishes and Dioceses.