Nineteen Episcopal lay leaders and priests from the Diocese of Connecticut have lodged an official complaint with the office of the Presiding Bishop against the Bishop of Connecticut, accusing the Rt. Rev. Andrew D. Smith of undermining the structure of the Episcopal Church and denying canonical due process for the so-called “Connecticut Six” clergy and their parishes.
The complaint states that Bishop Smith unlawfully threatened the six rectors with inhibition, “arrogated to himself the management” of various properties and assets held in trust by the diocese on behalf of St. John's, Bristol; Trinity, Bristol; St. Paul's, Darien; Christ and Epiphany Church, East Haven; Bishop Seabury Church, Groton; and Christ Church, Watertown. The threats against their clergy, his actions to freeze bank accounts, custodial funds and securities owned by the six parishes, as well as his more publicized actions during July at St. John's, Bristol, the complaint alleges, are violations of numerous Canons of the General Convention and the Diocese of Connecticut.
Under Title 4 of the disciplinary canons of the General Convention, the Presiding Bishop and his chancellor have 90 days in which to investigate and perhaps reach a pastoral resolution before the complaint must be forwarded to the Title IV Review Committee for bishops. The Canons of the General Convention also stipulate that all details of the process must be kept completely confidential prior to a determination by the review committee, “except as may be determined to be pastorally appropriate by the Presiding Bishop.”
“It could be well into the next triennium before any final decision on this complaint is reached,” said the Rt. Rev. Charles L. Keyser, an assisting Bishop in the Diocese of Georgia and chair of the Title IV Review Committee for bishops. “If a complaint is forwarded to us, we will do a thorough, complete investigation, taking testimony from both sides.” The Title IV Review Committee consists of five bishops appointed by the Presiding Bishop as well as two priests and two lay adult communicants appointed by the President of the House of Deputies.
Bishop Keyser said the review committee functions in a manner similar to a grand jury and as a general rule will investigate complaints forwarded to it by asking three questions:
1) Have the canons been violated or broken?
2) If there are violations are they provable?
3) Are the charges serious?
If the charges are provable and serious, the review committee issues a presentment for trial by ecclesiastical court, the church court equivalent of an indictment. If the review committee determines that the above conditions are not met, they must explain why, Bishop Keyser said.
The review committee processes complaints, Bishop Keyser said, “as quickly as we can, but as slowly as we must,” explaining that the committee is cognizant of the fact that it is funded with stewardship money through the office of General Convention. “We don’t want to spend money foolishly, but we also don’t want to get into a mindset in which justice may not prevail out of economic considerations,” he said.
When asked how much investigation of a formal complaint typically costs, Bishop Keyser said “a lot,” later explaining that precisely to avoid economically prejudicing justice, the Canon for the Primate and Presiding Bishop is responsible for keeping track of expenses, but Bishop Keyser estimated it would “certainly run into the six figures.”
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