c. 1997 Religion News Service

UNDATED _ A top body in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, a diocese rocked by allegations ranging from sexual abuse to malfeasance, is calling for the resignation of its controversial prelate, Bishop Joe Morris Doss.

But a defiant Doss has rejected the call and mounted his own campaign against his critics, further dividing the already polarized diocese.

Doss has been dogged by conflict ever since he took office a little more than two years ago. Among the controversies that have erupted are reports of homosexual abuse by a former dean of the Trenton cathedral; a rift between Doss and black clergy over their charges of institutional racism in the diocese; and a subsequent cut in parish support of the diocese by more well-off parishes and, consequently, a reduction in diocesan support of the national Episcopal Church.

In Trenton on Saturday (Nov. 15), Doss acknowledged some of his shortcomings at a rally he called in his support.

“I have failed to communicate how badly I want to support parish priests and congregational life,” he said in a prepared address.

Doss said he made a mistake in his ministry by not realizing how much the people in the diocese revere their history.

Admitting there is a difference between his liberal views and those of the conservative diocese that elected him nearly three years ago, Doss confessed: “I suspect that my call for change sounded like criticism of the past and perhaps even criticism of previous bishops. This was not intended. I failed to make an important distinction between the need for change specifically in New Jersey and the need for change in the church as a whole.”

In his address to the people, Doss did not refer to the resignation of J. Chester Grey as dean of Trinity Cathedral in Trenton. Grey was removed from Holy Orders earlier this year after being named in sexual harassment suits by 11 male former cathedral employees who claimed Grey used his position to sexually molest or harass them. Grey’s lawyer said Grey admits to sexual relationships with some of the men, but he denies charges that he abused or harassed them.

In light of the controversies and complaints, the Standing Committee and Diocesan Council have called on Doss to resign.”Our request for the bishop’s resignation is based upon character issues and a deep lack of trust in his ability to remain our bishop,”said the Rev. Roger Hamilton, chairman of the Standing Committee, a diocesan body that oversees clergy, including bishops.

The Standing Committee voted on Oct. 22 to ask Doss to resign but did not make its recommendation public until the end of the month.

In urging the resignation, the Standing Committee rejected a recommendation by a diocesan Wellness Committee _ a panel charged with finding a way out of the impasse between the two sides _ urging the diocese heal its relations with Doss.

Hamilton said the report’s recommendation was impractical because “healing must be based on trust and we believe that bedrock of any relationship does not exist with Doss.”

He said the recent resignation of the diocesan treasurer and interim chief financial officer are evidence of the polarization in the diocese.

Hamilton acknowledged the problems facing the diocese occurred before Doss’ election in 1994 but said those problems were “exacerbated by his presence.”

Doss’ supporters have signed an open letter to the parishes charging there is an “organized effort” to oust the bishop. The letter, dated before the Standing Committee took action, said the “conspiracy” to oust Doss was part of a strategy to make Doss’ ministry “impossible.”

Haskell Rhett, a former member of the diocesan Standing Committee, said, “I don’t think what (the Standing Committee) did was in the spirit of reconciliation and healing _ and I’m baffled as to why they did it.” Rhett was part of a diocesan group that met recently with Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning to express support for Doss.

“No human being should be submitted to this sustained, ruthless opposition that he has faced almost from the first day of his tenure,” said the Rev. Walt Zelley Jr. of Metuchen, senior warden of the diocesan Council. “The last thing I want to see is a bishop removed.”

If the critics succeed, Zelley said, “The diocese would be in the hands of some pretty sick, malicious people. And the psychic wound would be terrible.”

At the rally Saturday, Doss likened himself to Jacob _ a man with flaws who wrestles with God and then seeks forgiveness from those he has hurt. Doss asked for forgiveness from his diocese.

“Am I trying to dismiss the accusations raised against me by shifting the discussion to some generic and anonymous we?”Doss asked.”Not at all.

“I understand the pain this diocese is in. … I know I have contributed to it. I know I have made mistakes. I acknowledge and own them. I have contributed to the frustration and confusion you are experiencing now.”

MJP END BRIGGS