The Rev. Canon Brian Cox, rector of Christ the King Church, Santa Barbara, Calif., has been appointed by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to serve as an “interim pastoral presence” in the Diocese of San Joaquin. He joins the Rev. Canon Robert Moore, who was named in January.
 
“I think the Presiding Bishop’s desire was to have a balanced pastoral presence as we seek to rebuild relationships on all sides,” Canon Cox told a reporter from The Living Church. He added that he hopes to begin “meeting people from all perspectives” and earning their trust during a listening tour of the diocese Feb. 19-22.
 
Canon Cox confirmed that neither he nor Canon Moore have been appointed to a disputed steering committee established by Bishop Jefferts Schori to help reconstitute the diocese after a majority of parishes voted during the diocesan convention in December to leave The Episcopal Church and affiliate with the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone based in Argentina. The Presiding Bishop has refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of six members of the standing committee of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin who said they did not join the Southern Cone.
 
“I realize that some conservatives might misunderstand my motives in accepting this assignment,” Canon Cox said. “Anyone who knows me and my work on behalf of reconciliation should not be surprised. This is uncharted waters. It is a very difficult situation for everyone.”
 
Canon Cox has conducted faith-based reconciliation training and seminars in the Middle East, the Sudan, Kashmir, Burundi and Korea. In October 2007 he led a reconciliation seminar in Cyprus which brought together Syrian and Jordanian Muslims with American evangelical Christians.
 
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