The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Pennsylvania has written another letter to Bishop Bennison, in which they reflect on the last 6 weeks of his return to the office of Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania. Stay tuned for the issuing of more letters, and perhaps more actions at next month’s diocesan convention…
PENNSYLVANIA: Letter from Standing Committee continues debate with Bennison
The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania Standing Committee continued Sept. 29 its contentious public debate with recently returned Bishop Charles Bennison via a letter that accused him of inconsistency between his words and his actions.
The Standing Committee also termed as “shocking” a report it said it had received indicating that the bishop had told a Sept. 25 meeting of the Diocesan Council that “‘it is known now that all the witnesses at my trial intentionally perjured themselves.'”
The committee members said that Bennison had “managed to ignore or discount the opinions and conclusions of three courts, two Presiding Bishops, the House of Bishops, and untold numbers of lay and clergy in the diocese of Pennsylvania, and now all the witnesses at your trial.”
“We find it amazing that you are able to think that this is in any way normal behavior,” the letter said.
The letter included examples of why the Standing Committee believes the bishop was pursuing an agenda that runs contrary to the work the committee says it has done in his absence to begin a visioning process for the diocese and deal with financial problems it has said were caused at least in part by earlier decisions made by Bennison.