Fr. Moyer will be consecrated February 16 at 7.30pm at the Church of the Good Shepherd and as a bishop for the ACA/TAC will exercise episcopal oversight for its military chaplaincies. His official title will be Bishop of the Armed Forces. "I have accepted this call from God. I am humbled but I do know very deeply that this is the work of God. I did not seek this.” Moyer said of his future role in the TAC

Fr. Moyer told VirtueOnline that his ascendancy to the episcopacy would not change his immediate situation. "I will remain as rector of Church of the Good Shepherd. I am still a clergyman in good standing in the Anglican Communion."

The Vestry of Good Shepherd unanimously passed a resolution of support for the election and consecration of their priest and his continued leadership of the parish. The vestry recognized that the status of the Parish would not change, said a statement from vestry leaders.

But late yesterday Archbishop Malango told the London Times religion correspondent Ruth Gledhill that the Central African Primate insisted that Fr. Moyer "cannot mix the two". But in a phone conversation Fr. Moyer had with Primate Malango, the Pennsylvania priest was told that he remained a priest in good standing with the Diocese of Upper Shire, iterating that "I am very happy for you."

Jonathan Jennings, a spokesman for Lambeth Palace said, "The Archbishop of Canterbury talked with the Revd David Moyer by telephone last week and was informed of the election of Fr Moyer as a bishop in a church of another tradition in North America. The Archbishop was not asked for his blessing on the proposal; he expressed himself in terms of pastoral support to Fr Moyer during what will be a transitional phase from one form of ministry to another. Dr Williams was clear with him, however, that this development would pose serious canonical obstacles to the prospect of Fr Moyer exercising a priestly ministry within the Anglican Communion and advised Fr Moyer to discuss the matter fully with his Ordinary as part of the process of discernment."

It is understood that Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola has also expressed misgivings about the forthcoming consecration and urged Fr. Moyer not to proceed.

Several sources told VirtueOnline that it would have been better had Moyer chosen to be consecrated a bishop by Forward in Faith, thus retaining his status in the Anglican Communion. "He is jeopardizing that," said the source.

Moyer told VirtueOnline that he intended to proceed with the consecration.

"As a bishop for the ACA/TAC, I view this as an opportunity to work to bring the unity of all orthodox Anglicans throughout the world," said Moyer to VirtueOnline.

"I want to make it clear that consecration will allow me to keep my feet in both worlds - the Anglican Communion and the Traditional Anglican Communion," he said. That may not now be possible.

Moyer has been in a two-year legal battle with the ultra-liberal Bishop of Pennsylvania, Charles E. Bennison. Moyer was "inhibited" and then "deposed" when he was a priest of The Episcopal Church, USA accusing the bishop of not upholding the doctrine and discipline of the church. Both lawsuits against Bennison arising out of the "inhibition" and "deposition" will continue. Following his departure from the Episcopal Church he was taken under the immediate ecclesiastical care of Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan and later under Archbishop Malango and the Bishop of the Diocese of Upper Shire.

Fr. Moyer's attorneys pointed out that his lawsuits challenge the improper "deposition" and thus it is Father Moyer's position that he retains all rights of an ECUSA priest. His lawsuit over his deposition by Bennison which the complaint deems to be fraudulent and improper will continue, said his attorney John H. Lewis Jr., senior partner of the law firm Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads.

Forward in Faith North America, of which Fr. Moyer is president, immediately issued a statement saying that it would respond officially to today's announcement on Saturday. A source told VirtueOnline that the consecration was ill-timed.

Archbishop Louis Falk, Primate of the Anglican Church in America issued a statement from Clive, Idaho saying, “Our House of Bishops unanimously elected Fr. Moyer for many reasons, not the least among them his many years of committed, proven pastoral leadership and his untiring efforts to bring about full Christian unity and communion in proclaiming and living the Gospel of Christ.”

However, John Lewis, Fr. Moyer's attorney insists that David remains a priest in the Anglican Communion since he is still a priest in good standing in the African Diocese and because he was illegally and fraudulently deprived of his status as a priest by Bennison, a matter that is now before the Court.

Archbishop John Hepworth, Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion told VirtueOnline from his office in Adelaide, South Australia said he was delighted with the move and said, “The consecration of Father David Moyer, and the consecration of Father David Chislett, Vice-Chairman of Forward in Faith Australia at about the same time, marks a vital change in the conflict that has devastated Anglicanism for over twenty five years. In the Episcopal Church in the United States, church law forbids anyone opposing the ordination of women to hold office. Other churches of Anglicanism behave in the same way. While persecuting those who do no more than hold what has always been believed, bishops who flaunt their lack of belief and their defiance of moral law are treated as heroes. Anglicanism has become a battlefield in a perverse conflict."

The Traditional Anglican Communion was founded to recreate an Anglicanism that is both orthodox in its teaching and dynamic in its growth, he said.

"These consecrations are a response to the persistent and determined refusal of the Anglican Communion to address the persecution of traditional Anglican believers. The new bishops will be “flying bishops”, similar to those provided for the Church of England, with a ministry that spans diocesan and national borders.

The consecrators will be Archbishop Falk, Archbishop John Hepworth, Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion, and Bishop Louis Campese, Bishop of the Diocese of the Eastern U.S. of the Anglican Church in America. A number of Bishops from other jurisdictions and the Anglican Communion are also expected to be present.

END

FORWARD IN FAITH STATEMENT

A Statement from the Executive Committee of Forward in Faith, North America regarding the election of Fr. David Moyer as a bishop in the Anglican Church in America.

Since its inception in 1989, Forward in Faith, North America (FIF/NA), has sought “to minister pastorally and sacramentally to all who are faithful to the Anglican Way, both within the Episcopal Church and outside it...”.

FIF/NA is the only organization which represents those within The Episcopal Church who refuse to compromise the Church’s historic Faith and Order. In response to Resolution IV.11 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference of Bishops, FIF/NA has sought ways to serve as a bridge between the Communion and those who live that Faith and Order outside it, particularly those within the United States gathered in the Anglican Communion Network.

To this end, FIF/NA has entered into full communion with two such “extramural” bodies, the Anglican Church in America (ACA) and its parent, the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC), and the Anglican Province of America (APA). Members of the ACA and the APA are thus eligible for full membership in FIF/NA, and to hold office in it.

At the end of November, the ACA’s House of Bishops elected FIF/NA’s President, the Rev’d Dr. David Moyer, to serve as that body’s Bishop for the Armed Forces. The leadership of FIF/NA was not consulted prior to the election, and first began to learn of it in confidence during the week of December 5th.

FIF/NA’s Assembly some years ago presented Fr. Moyer’s name to faithful Primates of the Anglican Communion, in the hope that he might be consecrated as bishop of an overseas Province and sent back to minister to the faithful in North America. While the decision of the ACA is entirely separate from that action, FIF/NA is on record as affirming its belief that Fr. Moyer is a worthy to serve as a bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ.

Fr. Moyer is a priest of the Diocese of Upper Shire, Malawi, in the Province of Central Africa. It is FIF/NA’s understanding that his Province’s canons allow him to remain within it as a priest in good standing, even as he serves as a bishop in the ACA. It is FIF/NA’s earnest hope that this will allow him to pursue even more effectively the organization’s efforts to bring together all who hold the historic Anglican Way, both within the Communion and outside it.

It is also FIF/NA’s hope that this will enable the organization to meet more effectively the pastoral and sacramental needs of those among its members who are no longer able to remain within their Episcopal congregations.

At the same time, the majority of FIF/NA’s members remain within the structures of The Episcopal Church. Fr. Moyer’s election in no way affects FIF/NA’s commitment to minister to them, and to its continued and active participation in the Anglican Communion Network.

Fr. Moyer’s election parallels events in Australia, where FIF/Australia’s vice-chairman has been elected to serve as a TAC bishop while continuing as a priest in good standing of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane.

The date of Fr. Moyer’s consecration, February 16th, was chosen to coincide with a previously-scheduled international meeting which will bring the bishops who will consecrate him into the Philadelphia area. Some concern has been expressed that it will come just before the meeting in Ireland at which the Primates of the Anglican Communion will respond to the Windsor Report. Fr. Moyer has assured FIF/NA that this timing is simply a matter of coincidence: it is not meant to sent any message to the Primates, and FIF/NA hopes that Fr. Moyer’s election and consecration will have no impact on their deliberations.

While his consecration in the ACA will not affect his constitutional standing within FIF/NA, the Council and Fr. Moyer are considering whether or not he will continue as its President.

Copies of the original ACA release can be obtained from
Archbp. Louis Falk at 515-987-0124 or

For further information, contact

Fr. Warren Tanghe at 404-872-4169, 404-822-6306, or wtanghe@america.net

FORWARD IN FAITH UK reacts to Fr Moyer's Election

December 20, 2004

Forward in Faith UK has learned with interest of the proposed consecration of Fr David Moyer, currently President of Forward in Faith North America, as a bishop in the Traditional Anglican Communion. We trust that Fr Moyer will be able to use his new role in the Anglican Church of America to assist those in the Episcopal Church who have been disenfranchised by the ordination of women as priests and bishops. We regret however that those responsible did not see fit to consult the bishops of Forward in Faith around the world before reaching their decision.

The Revd Dr Geoffrey Kirk
Secretary