Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin

Last updated
Diocese of San Joaquin
Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin.png
Location
Ecclesiastical province VIII
Statistics
Parishes19 (2021)
Members1,786 (2021)
Information
RiteEpiscopal
CathedralSt. James Episcopal Cathedral
Current leadership
Bishop David Rice
Map
ECUSA San Joaquin.png
Location of the Diocese of San Joaquin
Website
diosanjoaquin.org

The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin (EDSJ) is a diocese of the Episcopal Church (TEC), located in central California with its headquarters in Fresno. It can trace its roots back to the earliest days of American settlement in California.

Contents

History

In 1910, the Episcopal Diocese of California petitioned the General Convention to create the Missionary District of San Joaquin from a portion of its territory. The Diocese of California ceded 14 counties in central California (and the 23 Episcopal congregations within those counties) back to the General Convention. The General Convention formed those 14 counties into the Missionary District of San Joaquin. In 1961, the Missionary District of San Joaquin petitioned the General Convention for "consent to the formation of a new Diocese out of the whole of the Missionary District of San Joaquin." The General Convention accepted the petition and approved the proposed diocesan constitution and canons, thus forming the Episcopal Church's Diocese of San Joaquin. [1]

Diocesan controversy

Over the years, the diocese had become known as one of the more conservative dioceses within the Episcopal Church. Due to ongoing disagreements with the national church in matters such as the blessing of same-sex relationships and the ordination of women a rift developed within the diocese between those who wished to remain in the Episcopal Church and a majority who wished to leave. On December 8, 2007, a majority of the delegates at the diocese's convention voted to leave the Episcopal Church in order to form the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin. The remaining clergy and laity who did not vote to leave continue to constitute the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin. Various court decisions have determined that those who left largely did so as individuals and not as a diocese.

Until this vote, the diocese was one of the most conservative within the Episcopal Church. The diocese had been one of the last three that did not ordain women (the others were the dioceses of Quincy and Fort Worth). The pre-separation Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin had a membership of approximately 8,500. [2]

On January 11, 2008, Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Presiding Bishop, inhibited John-David Schofield from the exercise of the office of a bishop. [3] On March 1, 2008, Schofield tendered his resignation from the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church, although he continued on as the bishop of the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin. [4] On March 12, 2008, he was deposed by action of the House of Bishops. [5]

A special diocesan convention met on March 29, 2008, in Lodi, California elected Jerry Lamb (retired bishop of Northern California) as provisional bishop of a reorganized Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin. [6] Jefferts Schori stated that "The Episcopal Church will continue in the Diocese of San Joaquin, albeit with new leadership." [7] The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church as a whole agreed to provide $700,000 to help defray the expenses associated with reorganization in San Joaquin and other dioceses facing similar challenges. At the regular diocesan convention in October 2008, delegates voted to create an "equality commission", charged with affirming marginalized communities within the diocese, including women, lesbians and gays, as well as several ethnic groups. [8]

On October 17, 2008, the standing committee of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin determined that 16 deacons and 36 priests who opted to realign with the Southern Cone had abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church. This decision paved the way for Lamb to remove the 52 clergy. [9] In June 2009, Episcopal leaders deposed all clergy (61 in all) who had joined Schofield in affiliating with an Anglican diocese in Argentina. [10]

Bishops since the diocesan controversy

On March 5, 2011, Chester Lovelle Talton was formally seated at Holy Family Church in Fresno as the diocese's provisional bishop. Talton succeeded Jerry A. Lamb, who had served as provisional bishop since February 2008. Lamb had announced his intention to retire and called for the special meeting, in accordance with the diocesan constitution. [11]

On March 29, 2014, Talton retired and was succeeded by David Rice, who previously served as a bishop in the Anglican Church of New Zealand. [12] Rice was elected and seated as Bishop Diocesan in 2017.

Court cases and rulings

On July 21, 2009, the Superior Court of California ruled that the diocese cannot leave the Episcopal Church and that Lamb is the head of the diocese. Schofield was found not to be the head of the diocese and was ordered to relinquish all money, property and any assumed authority. [13] However, on November 11, 2010, the lower court's ruling was overturned by the 5th appellate court, remanding the property issues to be retried by the lower court under neutral principles. The appeals court, however, also ruled that several matters of fact had been established in the trial record and were not subject to re-litigation. These included that Schofield had been inhibited from all episcopal actions in January 2008, that in March 2008 he had been deposed; and that from the date of the special convention in March 2008, Lamb was the bishop of the Episcopal diocese. [14]

Litigation over parish property has resulted in court orders awarding various properties to the Episcopal diocese, including churches in Bakersfield, Sonora, Turlock, and Ridgecrest. Other cases involving parish property remain unsettled. [15]

On April 2, 2014, a California Superior Court has ruled that the 160-year-old St. John the Evangelist Church in downtown Stockton, California, is to be used for the mission of the Episcopal Church. [16] St John's was suddenly returned to the EDSJ on April 17, 2014, just days before Easter. Easter services were arranged by newly elected David Rice who thought it important that no lapse in services should be allowed to occur. [17] On May 7, 2014, Anne Smith celebrated the Eucharist at St. John's, Stockton. She was the first woman to celebrate the Eucharist at St. John's in its more than 150 year history and 38 years after the Episcopal Church approved the ordination of women. [18]

In May 2014 the courts announced a tentative decision ordering the remaining 27 properties and various other assets to be returned to the Episcopal diocese. St. James Cathedral, the former diocesan offices, the Evergreen Conference Center Oakhurst (ECCO) near Yosemite National Park, the diocesan investment trust and 25 other church properties, valued at about $50 million, are included in the May 5 decision. In the 41-page opinion in the case brought by the Episcopal Church and its Diocese of San Joaquin, Fresno County Superior Court Judge Donald S. Black also said that "because a diocese is a geographical construct of the Church, it makes no sense that a diocese can ‘leave’ the Church; it does not exist apart from the Church." [19] On August 18, 2014, in a letter to the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin, Eric Menees announced that he has decided to appeal this decision to the Fifth District Court of Appeals. [20] On April 5, 2016 the Fifth District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Diocese of San Joaquin and found that Schofield's attempts to transfer title to the properties was void. [21] On July 13, 2016 the California State Supreme Court denied the petition of the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin for review. In essence, and practically speaking, this is a conclusion to the case involving the Anglican Diocese Holding Corp. properties. [22]

List of bishops

  1. Louis Childs Sanford, 1911-1944 [23] (Missionary Bishop)
  2. Sumner F. D. Walters, 1944-1968 [24] (Missionary Bishop 1944-1961)
  3. Victor M. Rivera, 1968-1989
  4. John-David Schofield, 1989-2008
    * Jerry A. Lamb, 2008-2011 (Provisional)
    * Chester Talton, 2011-2014 (Provisional)
  5. David Rice, 2017–present (Provisional 2014-2017)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Church in North Texas</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Church in North Texas was a diocese of the Episcopal Church from 1982 to its merger with the Diocese of Texas in 2022. The diocese included a geographic area of 24 counties in the north central part of Texas. As of 2021, it includes 13 churches, including a number of other congregations in the process of reorganization. The jurisdiction was the site of a major schism in 2008. This schism was the result of the diocese's bishop, Jack Iker, leading the majority of clergy and parishes to join the Anglican Church of North America as the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. The Episcopal Church diocese is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It announced on April 22, 2022, that it would seek reunion with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. The merger was finalized by the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America on July 11, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Dallas</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Dallas is a diocese of the Episcopal Church which was formed on December 20, 1895, when the Missionary District of Northern Texas was granted diocesan status at the denomination's General Convention the preceding October. Alexander Charles Garrett, who had served as the first bishop of the Missionary District of Northern Texas, remained as bishop of the new diocese. The diocese began when thirteen parishes were merged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglican Diocese of South Carolina</span> Anglican diocese in the United States

The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina (ADOSC) is a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). The diocese covers an area of 24 counties in the eastern part of the state of South Carolina. In 2019, it had 18,195 baptized members and 47 parishes. The see city is Charleston, home to the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul.

Jerry Alban Lamb is a retired American bishop. He was the sixth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is a diocese in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Geographically, it encompasses 11 counties in Western Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1865 by dividing the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. The diocesan cathedral is Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh. The Rt. Rev. Ketlen A. Solak was consecrated and seated as its current bishop in autumn 2021.

Chester Lovelle Talton was the Provisional Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin in the Episcopal Church.

In the United States, the history of the Episcopal Church has its origins in the Church of England, a church which stresses its continuity with the ancient Western church and claims to maintain apostolic succession. Its close links to the Crown led to its reorganization on an independent basis in the 1780s. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it was characterized sociologically by a disproportionately large number of high status Americans as well as English immigrants; for example, more than a quarter of all presidents of the United States have been Episcopalians. Although it was not among the leading participants of the abolitionist movement in the early 19th century, by the early 20th century its social engagement had increased to the point that it was an important participant in the Social Gospel movement, though it never provided much support for the Prohibitionist movement. Like other mainline churches in the United States, its membership decreased from the 1960s. This was also a period in which the church took a more open attitude on the role of women and toward homosexuality, while engaging in liturgical revision parallel to that of the Roman Catholic Church in the post Vatican II era.

The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada. Two of the major events that contributed to the movement were the 2002 decision of the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada to authorise a rite of blessing for same-sex unions, and the nomination of two openly gay priests in 2003 to become bishops. Jeffrey John, an openly gay priest with a long-time partner, was appointed to be the next Bishop of Reading in the Church of England and the General Convention of the Episcopal Church ratified the election of Gene Robinson, an openly gay non-celibate man, as Bishop of New Hampshire. Jeffrey John ultimately declined the appointment due to pressure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande is the Episcopal Church's diocese in New Mexico and southwest Texas, the portion of the state west of the Pecos River, including the counties of El Paso, Reeves, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Brewster, Presidio, Terrell, Hudspeth and Pecos. The total area of the diocese is 153,394 square miles (397,290 km2). According to the 2006 parochial report, there are 57 active congregations within the diocese. The see is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral Church of St. John.

The Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin (ADSJ) is a diocese in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). It came into being after a majority of congregants in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin separated from the Episcopal Church in 2007. Prior to the separation, the Episcopal Church diocese was one of the most conservative in the church, and one of three that did not ordain women. The Anglican diocese is now headquartered in Fresno. The pre-separation diocese had a membership of approximately 8,500.

The Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh is a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. It has parishes in the several counties of Western Pennsylvania. In addition, the diocese has oversight of several parishes that are not located within its geographical boundaries, including three in Illinois, two in Tennessee, and one in Colorado. The diocese also has a parish in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Quincy</span> Former diocese of the Episcopal Church in western Illinois

The Diocese of Quincy was a diocese of the Episcopal Church in western Illinois from 1877 to 2013. The cathedral seat was originally in Quincy, Illinois but was moved to St. Paul's Cathedral in Peoria in 1963. In order to avoid confusion with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria, the diocese retained the name of the location of its original "home" city, Quincy, where its cathedral seat was St. John's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth</span> Anglican diocese in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. The diocese comprises 56 congregations and its headquarters are in Fort Worth, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America which has jurisdiction over Oregon east of the Cascade Mountains. It also includes Klickitat County, Washington. It is in Province 8. The diocesan office is in Cove, Oregon.

David C. Rice is an American Anglican bishop and former Methodist minister. Since 2017, he has been bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, Episcopal Church : he had been its provisional bishop from 2014 to 2017. From 2008 to 2014, he was the 15th Bishop of Waiapu in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. He was consecrated on 7 June 2008. He was previously Dean of Dunedin.

John-David Mercer Schofield was a bishop-in-residence in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

Mark Joseph Lawrence is an American bishop. He was the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina from 2008 to 2012, and of the diocese now known as the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina from 2012 to 2022. In November 2012, under his leadership, a large portion of the old diocese withdrew from the national Episcopal Church to become an independent Anglican diocese. They continued to operate under the name "Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina", whose use was disputed by the national Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church did not recognize this diocesan withdrawal, instead considering Lawrence to have abandoned the church and his position as diocesan bishop. Lawrence's diocese affiliated with the Anglican Church in North America in 2017 and in 2019 began referring to itself as the "Anglican Diocese of South Carolina".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (EDOSC), known as The Episcopal Church in South Carolina from January 2013 until September 2019, is a diocese of the Episcopal Church. The diocese covers an area of 24 counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The see city is Charleston, home to Grace Church Cathedral and the diocesan headquarters. The western portion of the state forms the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina. As a diocese of the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of South Carolina is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and traces its heritage to the beginnings of Christianity.

Matthew Alan Gunter is the eighth and current Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in The Episcopal Church. He is also bishop provisional of the adjoining Diocese of Eau Claire. Prior to becoming bishop, he served as Rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and as Assistant Rector of St. David Church, Glenview, Illinois.

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina was established in 1785 as one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The diocese originally covered the entire state of South Carolina, but the western part of the state became the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina in 1922. In 2012, a controversy led to the existence of two rival dioceses, the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina and the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, each claiming to be the legitimate successor of the original diocese.

References

  1. ↑ Diocese of San Joaquin v Scofield Archived 2014-08-26 at the Wayback Machine , Superior Court of California, County of Fresno, May 5, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2014
  2. ↑ San Joaquin votes to leave Episcopal Church, realign with Southern Cone Archived 2008-10-01 at the Wayback Machine , Episcopal Life online, The Episcopal Church, December 8, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2008
  3. ↑ Presiding Bishop inhibits San Joaquin bishop Archived 2008-01-15 at the Wayback Machine , Episcopal Life Online, The Episcopal Church, January 11, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2008
  4. ↑ Letter from Schofield to Schori and the House of Bishops, March 1, 2007, Episcopal cafe. Retrieved September 26, 2008.
  5. ↑ House of Bishops consents to deposition of John-David Schofield, William Cox Episcopal Life Online, The Episcopal Church, March 12, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2008
  6. ↑ San Joaquin Episcopalians anchor reorganization in themes of resurrection, hope Archived 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine , Episcopal Life Online, The Episcopal Church, March 12, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2008
  7. ↑ "The Living Church Foundation | Presiding Bishop Eyes New Leadership for Diocese of San Joaquin". Archived from the original on 2007-12-10. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
  8. ↑ "Christian Post: "Episcopal Diocese Approves Commission to Support Gays" (sic), 28 October 2008". Archived from the original on 31 October 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  9. ↑ Realigning clergy are charged with abandonment of communion Archived 2014-08-27 at the Wayback Machine , Episcopal News Service, October 17, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  10. ↑ "Episcopal Church Ousts 61 Clergy In Gay Bishop Dispute", The Huffington Post, June 28, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ "it was a full and festive day", Episcopal Life San Joaquin, April 2011, Volume 1, Number 3. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  12. ↑ "David Rice elected, seated as bishop provisional" Archived 2014-08-27 at the Wayback Machine , Episcopal News Service, March 31, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  13. ↑ Order on Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Adjudication, Lamb v Scofield, Superior Court of California, County of Fresno, Central Division, July 21, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  14. ↑ Opinion Schofield v Diocese of San Joaquin et. al., California Fifth District Court of Appeals, November 18, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  15. ↑ Episcopal Life San Joaquin Quarterly Volume 2, Number 3, Summer 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  16. ↑ Court rules St. John’s belongs to the Episcopal Church Archived 2014-04-16 at the Wayback Machine , Episcopal News Service, April 14, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  17. ↑ The Friday Reflection, April 18, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  18. ↑ The Friday Reflection, May 16, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  19. ↑ Calif. court’s preliminary decision: return 27 properties to Episcopalians Archived 2014-05-19 at the Wayback Machine , Episcopal News Service, May 16, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  20. ↑ Final Judgement and Decision to Appeal, August 18, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  21. ↑ Opinion, Diocese of San Joaquin v. Gunner Archived 2016-04-18 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved April 6, 2016
  22. ↑ Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin Legal Updates Archived 2016-07-28 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 15, 2016
  23. ↑ Church History / Volume 19 / Issue 01 / March 1950, pp 69-70, American Society of Church History, July 28, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2014
  24. ↑ Sumner Walters obit, ancestry.com, July 4, 2000. Retrieved August 26, 2014

37°N119°W / 37°N 119°W / 37; -119

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.