Sunday was intended to be primarily a sabbath day on the House of Bishops’ meeting schedule in New Orleans. Instead the resignation announcement on Sept. 23 by Bishop Jeffrey Steenson of the Rio Grande revealed publicly how frustrated some of the bishops may be.

“It seems we are being given a ‘Sophie’s Choice,’ being asked to pick who we love more. Whatever choice is made, people will be hurt,” said Bishop Kirk Smith of Arizona in a letter to his diocese. “Even the option of refusing to choose can be interpreted by both parties as rejection.”

The four international speakers who have addressed the house all spoke critically of The Episcopal Church’s failure to consult adequately with its partners. They also mentioned how the church has made things worse by responding to requests for explanation with excuses about polity and cleverly worded statements that are contradicted by facts on the ground. Bishop Mouneer Anis of Egypt, Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, had the most pointed criticism, but the criticism from Archbishop Phillip Aspinall of Australia came as something of a surprise because he and the Province of Australia are generally regarded as friendly to The Episcopal Church.

“We are deeply, tragically, horribly ‘stuck,’ not only in The Episcopal Church, but in the Anglican Communion as a whole,” said Bishop John Howe of Central Florida in the preface of a resolution he proposed. “In the past three days we have heard again what we already knew, that we have damaged our relationships with many parts of the Communion by failing to give sufficient attention to ‘common discernment,’ and by moving ahead with decisions in the area of human sexuality before the rest of the Anglican family is able to accept those decisions.”

Bishop Howe’s was one of at least two new resolutions known to be circulating for the first time since Friday. He does not think any of the proposals has achieved any momentum. This makes the job of the writing group appointed by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori much more difficult.

A number of bishops believe The Episcopal Church has already said everything it should. Many of those also favor rejecting participation in the proposed Anglican Covenant. That would be completely unacceptable to conservatives both those remaining in The Episcopal Church and many other Anglicans overseas. Bishop Steenson will likely be just the first of many departures if something like this response is adopted.

Liberals have solid support overseas as well. Recently the primates of Ireland, Scotland and Wales have expressed strong reservations about singling out The Episcopal Church for punishment. It is by no means certain that the majority of bishops from their provinces would be willing to attend the Lambeth Conference of Bishops next year if invitations to the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church were withdrawn for example. This would create the embarrassing spectacle of Archbishop Williams serving as host to a meeting in which bishops from just one-fourth of the United Kingdom would be present.

Steve Waring

Additional Coverage from the House of Bishops’ Meeting:

• Bishop Steenson Will Become a Roman Catholic

• Multiple Resolutions Await Bishops on Monday

• Concluding his Visit, Archbishop Seeks to Lower Expectations

• Details Sketchy on Episcopal Visitors Proposal

• Eight Agree to Serve as Episcopal Visitors

• Bishops, Archbishop of Canterbury Begin Private Sessions

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