Three recent events may have done much to shatter the collegiality which emerged from the last meeting of the House of Bishops. When they met in Indianapolis during General Convention last August, the bishops seemed more tolerant, more open-minded, more willing to compromise in true Anglican fashion than in previous meetings. Now actions of two diocesan conventions [p. 8] and another presentment charge [TLC, Feb. 19] have the potential to undo whatever may have been accomplished by the bishops in their last meeting.

In the Diocese of Newark, Bishop John Spong announced at diocesan convention that he would form a task force "to begin the process of looking at the theological issues that must be addressed in the next revision of the prayer book." Bishop Spong said the task force will have two years to do its work, and he hopes it will bring the results to the next General Convention, which meets in Philadelphia in 1997.

What this action means is the Diocese of Newark is not willing to wait for the next revision of the Book of Common Prayer by the Standing Liturgical Commission or a national committee. It is well known that a considerable amount of liturgical experimentation has taken place in Newark. "This experimentation represents a local perception that the theology of the prayer book doesn't connect with the lives of people," Bishop Spong said in his convention address. Experimentation is one thing; revision of the prayer book at the diocesan level is quite another.

Meanwhile, in the Diocese of Washington, its convention adopted by a wide margin a resolution which upholds the Statement of Koinonia, which was submitted to General Convention by none other than the Bishop of Newark. The statement says, in effect, that committed homosexual relationships should be blessed, and that practicing homosexuals should be ordained.

So a diocese is on record as opposing the current teaching of the Episcopal Church regarding homosexuality. Washington is not the first diocese to do so, but it is believed to be the first since General Convention.

The presentment charge filed against Bishop Walter Righter, retired Bishop of Iowa and later assistant Bishop of Newark, was brought by 10 diocesan bishops. The presentment, the second filed in recent months, claims Bishop Righter violated his ordination vows and taught doctrine contrary to the teaching of the Episcopal Church when he ordained a practicing homosexual in Newark in 1990. In order for a trial to take place, one fourth of the membership of the House of Bishops must assent.

While a case could be made that Bishop Righter did indeed violate his ordination vows and teach doctrine contrary to the teaching of the Episcopal Church, the timing of the presentment is unfortunate. The ordination in question took place nearly five years ago, and has been followed by others in several dioceses, meaning the presentment charge may have lost its impact.

The two diocesan conventions would seem to indicate the church is moving toward a situation in which each diocese will establish its own theology and declare what is appropriate morality. Those events and the presentment charge may well divide the House of Bishops even further than it is at present. When the House of Bishops meets at Kanuga this week, its members ought to have plenty to discuss. We hope those discussions will be held in a spirit of unity and tolerance, and that the irenic attitude shown by the bishops in their last meeting will continue.