The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Panel of Reference will play no role in the dispute over Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight [DEPO] in the Diocese of Connecticut, according to a spokesperson for the Bishop of Connecticut, the Rt. Rev. Andrew D. Smith.

“Bishop Smith is working locally, within the policies, practices, canons and constitution of the diocese, and the Episcopal Church USA. At this time, he plans to continue working locally on the matter” wrote Karin Hamilton, director of communications for the Diocese of Connecticut.

Inhibited by Bishop Smith on July 13 for “abandoning the communion of this church,” for continued contumacy, and for having taken an irregular sabbatical and thereby pastorally neglecting his congregation, the Rev. Mark Hansen told The Living Church a lawyer representing the “Ct Six” wrote to the diocese on April 12 “beseeching Bishop Smith” to refer the dispute to the Panel of Reference.

Fr. Hansen said a second letter again requesting that the matter be referred to the panel was sent two days before the July 13 administrative move against St. John’s Church, Bristol. Fr. Hansen said the response the six received from lawyers retained by the diocese ignored the question of the Panel of Reference, and declared that the priests “corporately have no right to counsel, either as the CT Six or corporately the parishes.”

Asked by TLC what role the Panel of Reference would play in the controversy, Ms Hamilton said Bishop Smith had made no “mention of the Panel of Reference” as he was seeking to resolve the conflict “domestically.”

Leaders of the Global South coalition of primates meeting in London last week were watching events unfold in Connecticut closely, one of the meeting participants said as the primates’ agreement to cease cross-border visitations in support of traditionalist congregations was contingent upon good-faith efforts by bishops in providing DEPO.

Archbishop Henry Orombi of Kenya told TLC after the February primates’ meeting, “We are going to see how they are going to treat the ‘orthodox.’ That is the acid test. If they are not going to treat them well, then we are back.”

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