Episcopalians vote today on split from U.S.

The Red Church looks quaint and picturesque in its location at the end of Sonora's main street. But its two-year-old sign replacing the word "Episcopal" with "Anglican" -- St. James Anglican Church -- signifies the battle heating up throughout the country regarding homosexual bishops and biblical interpretation in the Episcopal Church USA.

The fight will get hotter today. Lay and clergy delegates to the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin are expected to vote this morning on constitutional amendments that would position the diocese to become the first in the country to leave the oversight of the Episcopal Church USA and align instead with the worldwide Anglican Communion.

In the Episcopal Church, constitu- tional amendments must be voted on at two conventions. Last year's vote, which required only a simple majority, passed overwhelmingly, by about 86 percent. But this one could be closer. Today's second vote requires a two-thirds majority among clergy and lay delegates. If either group fails to reach that margin, the amendments fail.

"I think the percent is going to be less this time," said the Rev. Wolfgang Krismanits of the Sonora church. "I do think we'll have enough votes, but anything can happen. It's too close to call at this point."

Krismanits supports Bishop John-David Schofield's lead in moving away from the national body, which in 2003 ordained an openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson, in New Hampshire, and last year selected Katha- rine Jefferts Schori as U.S. presiding bishop. Jefferts Schori has stated publicly that she approves of homosexual priests and bishops, that the Bible may not be the inerrant word of God and that there is more than one way to heaven than through Jesus.

Those positions have led 55 parishes throughout the country to leave the Episcopal Church and caused four dioceses -- San Joaquin; Fort Worth, Texas; Quincy, Ill.; and Pittsburgh -- to consider leaving. Two of them passed similar first votes on constitutional changes earlier this year.

Bishop Bob Duncan of Pittsburgh is in Fresno this weekend to watch the outcome of this vote. So is Bishop Frank Lyons of Bolivia, part of the Anglican Southern Cone (South America), which has agreed to provide emergency oversight for the diocese if it passes the amendments and requests it.

"I'm for disassociating from the Episcopal Church," Krismanits said. "My sense is that they've come up with a new religion. In fact, it's antagonistic toward the Christian faith. It's clear from leadership that the authority of Scripture isn't maintained. I guess it's not God's word anymore. It's been thrown by the wayside.

"I believe with all my heart that a vote in favor to take a step to disassociate from the Episcopal Church will be better than if we don't. I believe there would be bleeding either way. But in our diocese, the fallout of priests and parishes leaving the diocese would be greater if the vote would fail."

Others, of course, disagree, and Schofield has said that if the vote succeeds, parishes that wish to take their church prop-erty and leave the diocese to remain with the ECUSA may do so if they are not in debt to the diocese. Some churches, for example, have large mortgages held by the diocese and would have to pay them off in order to leave.

Van McCalister, public relations officer with the diocese, said three parishes have expressed an intention to remain Episcopal, including St. Anne's in Stockton and St. John the Baptist in Lodi. Two or three others may do so as well, he said.

"I suspect that at least as many would leave if the amendments are not passed," he said. "That's the flip side that people don't think of. There's going to be some fracturing either way."

The diocese has 47 parishes and missions with about 8,500 members. Many parishes have experienced a drop in numbers because of the dispute.

"It has hurt us," Krismanits acknowledged. "We were running about 100 to 105 (people) a Sunday. We've dwindled down into the 60s. Mostly it was liberal people who left who believed more in the stance of the Episcopal Church. We did lose some (on the other side) who thought we didn't move fast enough away from it."

If the vote today passes, McCalister predicted that five years down the road will see the diocese "expanded in numbers. I think the picture is very good if these amendments pass. We'll be able to focus on ministry and evangelism and church planting. That's where we want to be focused.

"There are also parishes outside of our diocese -- a number in Los Angeles and a couple in the Bay Area -- that have indicated interest in joining us. They could if the amendments pass."

And if not?

"Bishop Schofield has indi- cated that he'll continue on until his retirement."

Bee staff writer Sue Nowicki can be reached at 578-2012 orsnowicki@modbee.com.

This story was originally published December 8, 2007 at 3:11 AM with the headline "Episcopalians vote today on split from U.S.."