AN APPEAL TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
By the Bishops of Central Florida, Dallas, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, San Joaquin, South Carolina, and Springfield (20 July, A.D. 2006)

APPENDIX A

Functions and authority of the Presiding Bishop of ECUSA under Title I of Canons:

1. Chief Pastor and Primate of ECUSA. Canon 1.2.4 (a).

2. Responsible for leadership in

• initiating and developing policy and strategy in ECUSA, and
• speaking for ECUSA as to its policies, strategies and programs. Canon 1.2.4 (a) (1).

3. Speak God's words to ECUSA and to the world, as the representative of ECUSA and its episcopate in its corporate capacity. Canon 1.2.4 (a) (2).

4. In the event of a vacancy within a Diocese, consult with the Ecclesiastical Authority to ensure that adequate interim Episcopal Services are provided. Canon 1.2.4 (a) (3).

5. Take order for the consecration of Bishops, when duly elected, and assemble the Bishops of ECUSA to meet. Canon 1.2.4 (a) (4).

6. Preside over meeting of the House of Bishops; ... and recommend legislation to General Convention and the Houses of ECUSA. Canon 1.2.4 (a) (5).

7. Visit every Diocese in ECUSA for the purpose of:

• Holding pastoral consultations with the Bishop or Bishops thereof and, with their advice, with the Lay and Clerical leaders of the jurisdiction;
• Preaching the Word;
• Celebrating the Eucharist. Canon 1.2.4 (a) (6).

8. Report annually to ECUSA and, from time to time, issue pastoral letters. Canon 1.2.4 (b).

9. Make appointments and delegate authority as appropriate to carry out his duties assigned by the canons or General Convention. Canon I.2.4(c).

10. Appoint a Chancellor to serve for as long as the Presiding Bishop may desire. Canon 1.2.5.

Functions and authority of Presiding Bishop under disciplinary canons (Title IV).

1. The Presiding Bishop is the focal point for all disciplinary procedures relating to a bishop under Title IV (The Disciplinary Canons).

• Charges against a Bishop are filed with the Presiding Bishop. Canon IV.3.24 & 26.
• The Presiding Bishop forwards the charges to the Review Committee. Canon IV.3.26.
• The Presiding Bishop on his own initiative may require the Review Committee to investigate any Bishop whom he believes has committed an offense. Canon IV.23 (b).
• The Presiding Bishop appoints the five bishops who make up the episcopal membership of the Review Committee whose job it is to cause the charges to be investigated and to determine whether to issue a presentment against the Bishop charged. Canon IV. 3.27 and 43.
• The Presiding Bishop may issue temporary inhibitions against bishops (Canon IV. 1.4-6); and may determine punishment and sentence of bishops who may submit voluntarily to the discipline of ECUSA without trial (Canon IV.2.9-14).
• The Presiding Bishop receives and acts upon the certificate of the Review Committee when it finds that a Bishop has abandoned communion of ECUSA, including the imposition of an inhibition of such Bishop. (Canon IV.9.1).
• If a Bishop inhibited under Title IV. 9 does not recant within two months of inhibition, the Presiding Bishop presents the matter to the House of Bishops for the Bishop to be deposed. (Canon IV.9.2).

In addition to the foregoing functions and authorizations, there are a number of administrative functions provided in Title III (i.e., giving notice of a Bishop's election, preparing a list of episcopal resignations, etc.), not viewed as substantive and not included here.

Appendix B

Theological Commitments of the Petitioning Bishops

To the Archbishop of Canterbury:

To help you understand the theological commonality which we as bishops share, it may be best to begin where our Constitution begins: that this Church will uphold and propagate "the historic faith and order set forth in the Book of Common Prayer."

In turn, our Prayer Book is built around the Baptismal Covenant. The first "promise" in the Baptismal Covenant is this:

"Will you continue in the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers?"

This promise derives from Acts 2:42 in the New Testament. We take this promise as our point of departure:

1. We believe fidelity to the Apostles' teaching is the ground of communion (koinonia), and the precondition for Eucharistic sharing and prayer; indeed, we believe it is the ground of the Church in all its aspects.

2. We believe that the Apostles' teaching is found primarily in the New Testament, but also in the life and practice of the apostolic and sub-apostolic period in the Church's history, giving shape to its ministry, its worship, its creeds, its exemplars (saints and martyrs), and its councils.

3. We believe that the center of focus of the Apostles' teaching is their testimony to Jesus, and especially to his resurrection as marking him out as the Son of God in power.

4. We believe the Apostles' teaching unfolds the meaning of this event both for the world as a whole and for individual men and women.

5. We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostles' teaching, and on that foundation built the Church.

6. We believe that the Apostles' teaching is mediated through the Church's history in the formation of the New Testament and its appropriation of the Old Testament.

7. We believe that the Apostles' teaching is at the same time the moving impulse of the Church's history and its norm or measure, both directing and limiting the Church's development.

8. We believe that Jesus is both human and divine, the second Person of the undivided Trinity, the Word made flesh, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and is unique in all these aspects.

9. We believe that Jesus is the head of the Church, his Body, whose teaching and example is the final rule of life, individual and corporate, for His disciples.

10. We believe that Jesus died once for all, a sacrifice for many, overcoming sin; and that those who accept his sacrificial death and his resurrection, and who are baptized, are forgiven of their sins, made one with the risen Jesus, receive the gift of everlasting life, and are strengthened by his Spirit to live lives worthy of their calling.

11. We believe that individuals who are made one with the risen Jesus by faith and baptism are incorporated into his Body, and are impelled to give their lives in turn to be his witnesses and his servants in every aspect of their lives.

12. We believe that the Holy Spirit is given to such persons for the purpose of their transformation and growth, and to strengthen them for God's service.

13. We believe that the Church, like its Lord, is called to give its life for the life of the world.

14. We believe that the Sacraments of the New Covenant are sure and certain signs of God's grace given to the Church; and that they belong to the Church catholic.

15. We believe that bishops are called to guard the faith, unity and discipline of the Church; and that discipline serves unity, and that unity serves the cause of the apostolic faith so that Jesus may be known and God glorified.

16. We believe that bishops and all who are in Holy Orders must live lives that display the apostolic faith they are pledged to guard; and that those who live in contradiction to the Apostles' teaching are moving away from that faith, and are subverting the unity (koinonia) and discipline of the Church.

17. We believe that, as bishops, we must not only guard the unity of the Church, but must exhibit that unity together with all others who continue in the Apostles' teaching.

18. We believe that the Anglican experiment of a thoroughly apostolic faith and catholic order without a single centralized authority is both noble and has been historically fruitful; but we also believe that it is imperiled.

19. We believe the proposal of an Anglican Covenant offers the way to articulate a structure that will carry this experiment forward in an ecclesiologically responsible way.

20. We believe that the Constitution of the Episcopal Church expresses a valid purpose, namely that we be a "constituent member of the Anglican Communion ... in communion with the See of Canterbury;" that this also expresses an intent thereby to continue in the Apostles' teaching; and that this expresses at the same time a commitment to the conciliarity of Anglicanism whereby only the whole Church can decide issues which affect the whole.

21. We believe in the unique role the See of Canterbury has played and will continue to play in the Anglican experiment, not only as a focus of unity among the parts of the Communion, but as a Pastoral presence and voice with unique authority, and as a visible connection to the Church catholic through time and with other churches throughout the world.

22. We believe we are called to stand together at this time in commitment to these beliefs as well as in commitment to the process by which an Anglican Covenant may be formed; and we trust in turn that such a Covenant will itself be a promise to "continue in the Apostles' teaching."