Iker to Griswold:
What future is there
for us in ECUSA?

Fort Worth | 10 September 2002

Dear Bishop Griswold,

Thank you for all your time and effort over the past year or so in trying to resolve the impasse between Bishop Bennison and Fr David Moyer in Rosemont. You are to be commended for doing what you could as our Chief Pastor in trying to find a godly solution to this controversy. It is sad to see your efforts have failed once again, as they did in the battle over Accokeek last year.

Why do we have a Primate and Chief Pastor who lacks the canonical authority to do anything to resolve conflicts such as these? What canonical changes are needed in order to assist you in resolving such controversies in the future? We need to enable you and your successors to be more effective in your role as mediator and reconciler in conflicts that are tearing this Church apart.

I also appreciate your recent statement denying that this Rosemont "conflict is an indication that those with 'traditionalist' views do not have a place in the Episcopal Church". However, I see no evidence whatsoever to support your denial that this is so. I can point to Accokeek, Rosemont, the A045 Task Force, mandatory canons on the ordination of women, the refusal to provide us with "flying bishops", and the permission to bless same sex unions in various dioceses as evidence that there is no future for traditional believers in ECUSA. You yourself have admitted that when the current Bishops of Fort Worth, San Joaquin, and Quincy are replaced that the necessary canonical consents will be denied if the newly elected bishops are unable to ordain women priests. What future is that? Can you give one example that would give us hope to believe that traditionalists have any continuing place in this Church? It appears to me the revisionists are attempting to eliminate us, one by one.

Faithfully in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker
Bishop of Fort Worth

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