Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, came into being in 1983 after an administrative division of the increasingly large Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. The cathedral of the diocese is St. Vincent's Cathedral in Bedford.

Along with the Diocese of Dallas, the Diocese of Fort Worth is seen as one of the originators of a strong conservative movement within the Episcopal Church. Most of the fify-one parishes in the diocese are affiliated with the Anglican Communion Network, an association of dioceses, parishes, and clergy working to counteract what its members consider a liberal shift in doctrine and practice that abandons or ignores traditional teaching and discipline.

The diocesan bishop, Jack Iker, SSC, has come under criticism for refusing to ordain women as priests. This position, however, was affirmed in 2007 by the Archbishop of Canterbury's "Panel of Reference" as a legitimate right of a bishop.

Following the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church on June 18, 2006, Iker petitioned Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, to place the diocese under the jurisdiction of another primate, claiming her election provides further evidence of an unwanted liberal shift. This appeal was joined by several other conservative dioceses but has not been formally resolved.

More recently, the diocesan convention has passed resolutions with the intent of withdrawing the diocese from the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church calls the validity of such resolutions into question. [ [http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_91941_ENG_HTM.htm Episcopal Life Online - NEWS ] ] As a result, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, one of the oldest and largest parishes in the diocese, was renamed St. Andrew's Parish to support these resolutions after the recent developments at the convention.

External links

* [http://www.fwepiscopal.org The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth]