Virtue Online: SAN JOAQUIN: "Bishop" Protests Visit of Southern Cone Primate to Anglican Diocese

The bishop who claims to be the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin has written a letter to the orthodox Archbishop of the Southern Cone protesting his visit to the diocese.

In blunt language Episcopal Bishop Jerry A. Lamb asked Archbishop Gregory Venables to stay out the diocese and not preach and celebrate the Eucharist at St. James Cathedral held by the Bishop of San Joaquin, the Rt. Rev. David Schofield.

"I strongly protest your visit to this diocese without my invitation or permission," he wrote to Venables. "Your visit would violate the traditions of the ancient church as understood in the communion. It also violates the Windsor Report and statements of the Primates since the Windsor Report."

"I strongly urge that you cancel your meeting in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin scheduled for April 29, 2008. I also strongly urge you to refrain from interjecting yourself into the internal affirs of the Episcopal Church, the only Anglican Church in the United States."

In Canada, Archbishop Venables told VirtueOnline that he had no intention of canceling his trip and would "preach and celebrate the Eucharist" in what is now a diocese under his ecclesiastical authority.

"The Episcopal Church picks and chooses which bits of Scripture, which parts of 'ancient tradition' and which sections of the Windsor Report and Primates letters they accept and are willing to live by. It may be consistent with post-modern pluralism, but that's not how the Church operates. I am looking forward to being with my brother Bishop John-David who is a defender of the faith once for all delivered to the saints. It will be a pleasure to serve alongside him in his diocese." Read more
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