The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth[1], 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 was seen as one of the originators of a strong conservative movement within the Episcopal Church; Fort Worth and Dallas clergy and parishes have both had a long history of leadership in the Anglo-Catholic faction within American Anglicanism.[1] The diocesan bishop, Jack Iker, SSC, refused 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. 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. There remains, however, a strong moderate/progressive presence who opposes the Bishop's stance and plans.
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 the Archbishop has not yet indicated any willingness to grant the request.
At the 26th annual convention of the diocese, on November 15, 2008, delegates voted in accordance with the wishes of their bishop to have the diocese become part of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone instead of being part of the Episcopal Church. Such a move, which would create a new diocese in the South American church, is not provided for in the Canons of either of these churches.
At least 8,000 communicants from 17 of the 56 parishes were resolved to remain with the Episcopal Church. Following this vote, Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori declared on November 21 that Bishop Iker was inhibited from exercising his office as a bishop in the Episcopal Church because he had violated Title IV, Canon 9, by abandoning the Doctrine, Discipline or Worship of the Church. With respect to the inhibition, Iker rejected the authority of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Thus, the Presiding Bishop, on December 5, with the advice and consent of the Church advisory council (Bishops who are the Presidents or Vice-Presidents of each Province), accepted Iker's deemed renunciation and removed him from ordained ministry, thus leaving the Fort Worth Diocese without a bishop.[2]
The Standing Committee of the Diocese, which in the absence of the bishop is the highest ecclesiastical authority of the diocese, regarded the inhibition of the bishop as an "illegal, unconstitutional, and uncanonical attempt to interfere with the rights and ministry of a diocese of another province of the Anglican Communion."[3] A group coordinating those members of the diocese remaining loyal to the Episcopal Church, on the other hand, was "heartened" by the inhibition of the bishop.[4]
A special Convention of the Diocese will be held, probably at All Saints' School, on Saturday, February 7, 2009, pending the final approval of the Presiding Bishop.
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