We, Communion Partner Bishops, stand in support of our brother, the Rt. Rev’d William Love, as he responds to the ruling of the Disciplinary Board concerning his Pastoral Direction of November, 2018. We support unreservedly his convictions on the church’s traditional teaching on marriage. We continue to uphold him and his diocese in prayer in a very difficult time.
This is a crucial time in the life of our church. This disciplinary case points to the pressing need for finding “a lasting path forward for mutual flourishing” (General Convention 2018, Resolution A227) for both sides in the question of marriage in the Episcopal Church. The Task Force on Communion Across Difference, charged with this work by the General Convention in 2018, represents an attempt by our church to do this. More work remains to be done now, throughout the church, in order to find this path forward.
We remain dismayed that latitude is extended to some in the enforcement of our canons, but not to others. If members of the church who hold the traditional teaching on the question of marriage have “an indispensable place” (Resolution A227) in our church, as the General Convention has said, then securing that place needs to be a priority. Again, now is the time. This indispensable place should not be an unstable one.
We ask for your continued prayers for Bishop Love, the Diocese of Albany, and for the Disciplinary Board as they prepare an Order in this matter.
The Rt. Rev. Lloyd Allen
Bishop of Honduras
The Rt. Rev. John Bauerschmidt
Bishop of Tennessee
The Rt. Rev. Greg Brewer
Bishop of Central Florida
The Rt. Rev. Daniel Martins
Bishop of Springfield
The Rt. Rev. Moises Quezada Mota
Bishop of the Dominican Republic
The Rt. Rev. David M. Reed
Bishop of West Texas
The Rt. Rev. Michael G. Smith
Bishop Assistant of Dallas
The Rt. Rev. George Sumner
Bishop of Dallas
