'I tell you, when I was a rector, I lost members of my church because of Bishop Righter's actions.'īut Bishop Stanton said that personal animosity played no part in the charge against Bishop Righter. Ordination of homosexuals was driving some church members away, he said. 'I believe in the principle of order and unity.' 'The question is, how do we bring order here?' Bishop Stanton said. One was Bishop Spong of Newark, who ordained Father Stopfel as a priest a year after Bishop Righter made him a deacon. The document cites a 1979 resolution by the church's General Convention - its triennial meeting of bishops, priests and lay delegates - declaring that it was 'not appropriate for this church to ordain a practicing homosexual.'īishop Stanton said he and other conservative bishops had become alarmed in recent years as some bishops, acting individually, ordained gay men and lesbians despite that resolution. Stanton of Dallas, who as a priest in the 1980's served under Bishop Righter in Iowa. One of the authors of the presentment was Bishop James M. The total was more than a quarter of the church's 297 bishops, enough to require a trial. Circulated nationally, by mid-August the presentment had been signed by 76 bishops, some active, some retired. The accusations against him, contained in a document called a presentment, were drawn up by 10 bishops, as required by church law. No date has been set for Bishop Righter's trial. But they do provide for trying someone accused of teaching false doctrine, a conventional definition of the term. The Episcopal Church's current laws contain no explicit references to heresy. But one accused of heresy can be seen to pose a greater threat because he is still within the church and so can lead the faithful into error. An apostate, who renounces the faith, by his act separates himself from the community of believers. Throughout the history of Christianity, heresy has been perhaps the most serious charge that can be brought against any believer, especially against a member of the clergy. 'Basically, my response is, it's absurd,' he said. In an interview, Bishop Righter denied violating church doctrine. Spong of Newark, an outspoken supporter of homosexual ordination. Bishop Righter, who had retired as the Bishop of Iowa, was then serving as an assistant to Bishop John S. Stopfel, a graduate of Union Theological Seminary, had completed two years of pastoral work and had acknowledged that he was a homosexual and was living with a partner of the same sex.

In September 1990, Bishop Righter ordained Barry L.

Heretic game bishop