Hemorrhaging Begins in Episcopal Church

by Jim Brown and Jody Brown
November 10, 2003

(AgapePress) - Some Maryland Anglicans who left the Episcopal Church USA over its approval of a homosexual bishop are now associating themselves with the Anglican Mission in America (AMIA).

On Sunday, a missionary bishop to the U.S. out of Rwanda, Africa, addressed members of Emmaus Anglican Church -- a breakaway congregation formed by Pastor Steven Randall. Bishop Thaddeus Barnum with the AMIA has agreed to provide "Episcopal oversight" for Randall's church in Baltimore.

Bishop Thaddeus Barnum

Barnum says Randall and his congregation should be commended for leaving a denomination that is in a "deplorable state theologically" and "incapable of correction."

"Persecution and heresy come for a purpose; the Lord brings it for a purpose," Barnum says. "People need to make a choice -- and Steven Randall and his church made a choice. They couldn't go any farther. And so they stood up, they stood out, and they upheld the sacred, ancient gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and said 'We cannot compromise.'"

Barnum says he visited Randall's church in Baltimore on Sunday to offer support for those who are outraged with the Episcopal Church USA. "We are not here simply to be a refuge for Episcopalians -- we have a heart for Anglican mission.

"Our desire really has been to be allowed to be in the United States, holding that ancient gospel in the ancient traditions that the Church has passed down and be zealously committed to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ into our country and to our families and to the next generation," the AMIA bishop says.

The AMIA is affiliated with the worldwide Anglican Communion. Conservative African and Asian archbishops consecrated Barnum and a few other overseas Anglican bishops to provide intervention when needed in the U.S.

Reactions in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania
Elsewhere on Sunday, a group of Episcopalians in New Hampshire -- the state that is under the auspices of V. Gene Robinson, the recently consecrated homosexual bishop -- walked out of their church's service in Rochester in protest. According to an Associated Press report, only about ten people remained after the walkout.

The report says the worshippers' exit from Church of the Redeemer was in response not only to Robinson's consecration, but also because the church's pastor was dismissed last week after stating that because of his "greater loyalty to our Lord," he would have no loyalty to Robinson. Rev. Donald Wilson was dismissed by retiring Bishop Douglas Theuner, who is being replaced by Robinson.

And the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has amended its constitution to say that where resolutions of the national church are "contrary to the historic faith and order" of the church, the diocese will prevail. Before the amendment can take effect officially, it must be approved by next year's annual convention of the diocese. The move to amend the constitution, according to AP report, came in response to what one priest calls the "heresy" of the denomination's consecration of Robinson.