Dallas Bishop Withdraws New Overseer Request

By Lillian Kwon, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, October 28, 2006

The Episcopal bishop of Dallas withdrew his request for a new overseer, clarifying that the appeal for his diocese was for a direct primatial relationship with Archbishop of Canterbury rather than Alternative Primatial Oversight.

Following the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as the 26th presiding bishop, seven dioceses had signed an appeal, with some requesting APO, direct pastoral relationship or alternative primatial relationship and oversight. Bishop James Stanton issued a statement Friday saying he never asked for APO.

"I maintain that the appeal is not for APO," he emphasized, according to the Episcopal News Service.

Stanton had both signed and helped write the appeal. While none of the dioceses actually asked for APO, he explained, the language in the document confused his diocese.

"This language caused confusion and some anxiety within the Dallas Diocese," he said. "This is understandable, since I had announced and maintained a different sort of request from the beginning.

"Following the New York meeting in September, I shared this concern with my colleagues and indicated that I would quietly withdraw my own request. I did this before the Windsor Bishops' meeting at Camp Allen, in a simple note to the Archbishop."

The September meeting involved Episcopal and Anglican leaders on both ends of the homosexual divide who had opened honest conversations on the controversial issue but came to no resolve over the division. Another meeting followed closely where Episcopal leaders who met at Camp Allen committed to maintain unity while recognizing the needs of both ends of the church.

Stanton clarified, "My own misgivings about the concept of APO is not a judgment on those who have made this request or what they intend by it. I certainly have not had any change of mind or resolve on my own part."

Stanton had "misgivings" over the phrase "alternative pastoral oversight." He and the Standing Committee of Dallas agreed to change the language in the statement, thus requesting for "direct primatial relationship" from the Anglican archbishop, Dr. Rowan Williams.

Earlier this week, Stanton had made a plea to the Dallas diocese asking the body's members not to immediately leave the Episcopal Church. The diocese will remain in the denomination, but many predict the communion is only a delay until it is expected to break from the church as early as next year.