The Presiding Bishop repeatedly warned the Bishop of Pennsylvania not to provoke an international incident by deposing the rector of a parish under his care, but ultimately proved powerless to persuade or prevent the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr., according to recently released court documents.

For at least the past five years, the Rev. David L. Moyer had denounced Bishop Bennison as a “false prophet” and prevented him from making an episcopal visitation to the Church of the Good Shepherd in the Philadelphia suburb of Rosemont. Bishop Bennison deposed Fr. Moyer Sept. 5, 2002. Subsequently, a number of Episcopal bishops as well as both the present and past Archbishops of Canterbury have said they do not recognize the deposition. With the full support of the vestry, Fr. Moyer continues to fulfill all of the sacramental and administrative responsibilities of rector at the 450-member parish.

In a letter dated July 6, 2001, the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop, admonished Bishop Bennison for precipitating an international incident. In a second letter, dated June 21, 2002, Bishop Griswold elaborated further, advising Bishop Bennison that “forces” both within the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion were trying to use the highly public standoff as proof that those who hold to a traditional interpretation of scripture were being driven out of the Episcopal Church.

“Whether or not these forces are fair or accurate in their expressed views about the impasse in your diocese, what we have before us is a serious international problem that demands some graceful solution,” he wrote. “It is incumbent upon us who bear episcopal responsibility to go out of our way to take steps forward that can be perceived as honoring the diverse perspectives and sensibilities that constitute our Anglican reality. Given all of the above circumstances, I am not in a position to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Other court documents obtained by Fr. Moyer’s attorney indicate that Bishop Bennison did not share the contents of the second letter with his standing committee. As Bishop Griswold predicted, the subsequent deposition led to further polarization within the Anglican Communion.

In a letter he wrote to members of his parish on Aug. 28, Fr. Moyer said the existence of the two letters was a personal vindication as well as proof that Bishop Bennison had been less than forthright in his attempts to build public support for his controversial action.

“What you have read is certainly indicative of a crisis of leadership in the church that has had a direct effect upon us and the larger church,” he wrote. “We must all pray and work hard for renewal and reformation. Such egregious actions can be viewed as the fruit of widespread complacency throughout the church, and failure of Christians at all levels to live holy lives.”

Meg Cave, speaking for the Diocese of Pennsylvania, said she was unable to comment on the pending litigation.