Eight of his fellow Communion Partner bishops declared their support for convicted Albany bishop William Love, saying his case points the need for a permanent solution to protect Episcopalians who believe in the Church’s traditional teaching about marriage. Their October 10 statement also expresses deep concern “that latitude is extended to some in the enforcement of our canons, but not to others.”
“This is a crucial time in the life of our church,” the bishops wrote. “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.”
All seven bishops said that they “support unreservedly [Bishop Love’s] convictions on the church’s traditional teaching on marriage.” The American diocesan bishops, John Bauerschmidt of Tennessee, Greg Brewer of Central Florida, Daniel Martins of Springfield, David Reed of West Texas, and George Sumner and Michael Smith of Dallas, have complied with the terms of B012, making arrangements to allow same sex marriages while upholding a diocesan position in support of traditional teaching. Bishops Lloyd Allen of Honduras and Moises Quezada Mota of the Dominican Republic serve dioceses not subject to B012.
