San Joaquin steps back (updated twice)

UPDATE: Some bloggers and commenters have suggested that in the story below, the AP may have misinterpreted the most recent letter between Bishops Schofield and Jefferts Schori. I’ve looked into this in some detail, and I can say that that wasn’t the case. The most recent story on the situation is here. It includes this:

” ‘Instead of declaring that we’re on our way to this or that province, it says we recognize and declare that we’re Anglican,’ said the Rev. Van McCalister, a spokesman for the diocese, which covers a wide swath of Central California. Amendments can be made during the meeting.”

The language that will be put before the conventions is as follows: The Diocese of San Joaquin is constituted by the Faith, Order, and Practice of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church as received by the Anglican Communion. The Diocese shall be a constituent member of the Anglican Communion and in full communion with the See of Canterbury.

So, I think this bears out the story below.

Breaking news from AP:

NEW YORK — Episcopal leaders offered conservatives more independence from the national church Thursday, as a California diocese quietly backed down from its threat of a swift break with the denomination.

The Diocese of San Joaquin, based in Fresno, made the change as it came under pressure from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and her advisers to ease off a proposal to leave.

A spokesman for the Diocese of San Joaquin, the Rev. Van McCalister, would not elaborate Thursday on why his diocese changed course on breaking away. Two weeks ago, Jefferts Schori told San Joaquin Bishop John-David Schofield in a public letter that leaving would put “many people at hazard of profound spiritual violence” and was akin to violating his ordination vows.

Read it all here.

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