Former Bishop of San Joaquin Inhibited

From Episcopal Life:

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on January 11 inhibited Diocese of San Joaquin Bishop John-David Schofield.

In the text of the inhibition, Jefferts Schori wrote: "I hereby inhibit the said Bishop Schofield and order that from and after 5:00 p.m. PST, Friday, January 11, 2008, he cease from exercising the gifts of ordination in the ordained ministry of this Church; and pursuant to Canon IV.15, I order him from and after that time to cease all 'episcopal, ministerial, and canonical acts, except as relate to the administration of the temporal affairs of the Diocese of San Joaquin,' until this Inhibition is terminated pursuant to Canon IV.9(2) or superseded by decision of the House of Bishops."

Jefferts Schori acted after the Title IV Review Committee certified that Schofield had abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church.

On January 9, Upper South Carolina Bishop Dorsey Henderson, committee chair, wrote to Jefferts Schori, telling her that the nine-member committee had met that day and that a majority agreed that the documentation provided to them "demonstrated that Bishop Schofield has abandoned the communion of this Church by an open renunciation of the Doctrine, Discipline or Worship of this Church"...

The Title IV Review Committee's certification can be found here. Note that the Review Committee was contacted on the behalf of our Presiding Bishop on December 17. Bp. Schofield and some of the former leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin announced their intention to join the Province of the Southern Cone on December 8.

The required two months until he can be officially deposed begins today. In the meantime, those who desire to remain members of the Episcopal Church no longer have surrender to his demands. He cannot function as an ordained person within their congregations.

J.