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A response from Bishop Dean E. Wolfe to the spring meeting
of the House of Bishops

March 26, 2007

Dear Friends,

I was glad to have taken part in the careful deliberations by the House of Bishops at our recent meeting at Camp Allen, Texas, as we responded to the Communiqué sent from the Primates during their meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Our discussions in Texas were frank, productive and prayerful, and they revealed two equally important commitments: our deep commitment to the Anglican Communion and our deep commitment to the polity and integrity of The Episcopal Church.

Over the course of our meeting, it became clear that bishops may be of several minds regarding issues of human sexuality but we are of one heart when it comes to protecting the ecclesiology of our beloved Church.

In an unprecedented Communiqué, our House of Bishops was asked by a number of the Primates to violate our Constitution and Canons and to turn over part of our governance to an outside authority (selected by the Primates) to oversee a portion of The Episcopal Church. Some of the most conservative bishops among us found this an impossible proposal to accept. It is clear that several Primates have improperly benefited from ignoring the Windsor Report recommendations and continue to have much to gain from the implementation of such a scheme.

Citizens of our country in general (and Kansans in particular) will understand the reluctance of our House of Bishops to place our Church under the oversight of foreign prelates who are accountable to no one but God. These are the types of actions that, historically, fueled the Protestant Reformation and later initiated our struggle for independence as a nation. Furthermore, the actions of at least one Primate regarding Christ Church, Overland Park, make this body a less-than-trustworthy repository for such authority.

In our branch of the Anglican Communion, we are committed to lay and ordained leadership making decisions cooperatively and with mutual respect. We believe our polity reveals something of the nature of creation, as we allow space for the Holy Spirit to work through the prayerful deliberations of lay people, deacons, priests, and bishops acting together as one body. I believe this is an important gift we have to offer to the rest of the Anglican Communion, which seldom operates in this manner.

We remain deeply committed to strengthening our ties of mission with Anglicans around the world, especially to the most vulnerable and needy. In this diocese we are expanding outreach to Kenya as we continue our involvement with the people of Haiti and other places around the globe. I encourage all members of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas to find new and expanded ways of serving God’s people in mission.

These recent events may leave people with a feeling of uncertainty about our beloved Episcopal Church. Let us not be anxious. I believe we are engaged in an ongoing conversation that will take many twists and turns before a satisfactory resolution is finally revealed.

May God bless us in the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas as we seek always to know Christ and make Christ known.

The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe
Ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas

Bishop Wolfe will be available for questions from clergy and others interested following the Chrism Mass, which takes place Tuesday in Holy Week, April 3, at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Cathedral, Topeka.