Archbishop Hepworth resigns over dissent -

Archbishop Hepworth resigns over dissent

Friday, December 16th, 2011

Archbishop John Hepworth, the leader of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) is resigning on Pentecost Sunday in 2012.

Hepworth, who claims to be the victim of rape while in a Catholic Seminary 40 years ago, said the move was prompted by “considerable dissension” within the Traditional Anglican Communion.

“Profound doctrinal and moral differences have grown between us,” Hepworth told the Australian.

“It is my intention, provided the membership of our college is substantially clarified in the next few months, to tender my resignation as primate at Pentecost.”

The TAC House of Bishops, last week, voted to seek Archbishop Hepworth’s immediate removal, but the Hepworth said the vote was not binding.

Hepworth’s advisor, Cheryl Woodman, said the vote was not sanctioned by the church.

“This is an illegitimate act and seems to be some sort of plot by people seeking power for themselves,” Woodman said.

“They have included people who are not members of the college and have not informed the secretariat.”

As leader of the TAC, Archbishop Hepworth was the most prominent Anglican leader in the drive to secure a means of corporate entry into the Roman Catholic Church. He said that he remains proud of his role in the process that led to the release of Anglicanorum Coetibus and the establishment of Anglican ordinariates within the Catholic Church.

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