A Bishop on Trial

At next week's annual meeting of the House of Bishops in Wheeling, W. Va., the Episcopal Church faces the decision of whether or not to submit one of its prelates to a heresy trial that might well determine the future doctrinal direction of the church.

To the man facing inquisition, the Right Rev. James A. Pike, who recently quit as bishop of California, the central issue is "whether the Episcopal Church confines itself to a narrow interpretation of theology or allows its traditional wide range of freedom in seeking the truth." To Bishop Henry I. Louttit of south Florida, the man pressing for the trial, the issue is whether the church can tolerate within its ranks a bishop who has denied such fundamental dogmas as the Virgin Birth. "We want him to resign the episcopate," Louttit says. "The common word is unfrocked. I want him to admit that he does not accept the faith."

Powerful Prelate. Being called a heretic is nothing new for Pike, who last week resigned the honorary title of auxiliary bishop given him by his diocese in order not to embarrass or involve his successor in the quarrel. Time and again since his consecration, Pike has been denounced by clergy and laymen as an apostate in bishop's clothing for his heterodox views. But never before have such accusations been leveled at him by a fellow bishop, much less so influential a prelate as Henry Louttit, 63, a Southern moderate who is a member of the church's powerful Executive Council.

Although he is on a Jim-and-Hank basis with Pike, amiable, Buffalo-born Louttit is an orthodox Anglo-Catholic who has long viewed with alarm Pike's freewheeling theology. Shortly after Pike resigned last month, Louttit circulated a petition requesting that Pike be brought before an ecclesiastical court on charges of heresy, violation of his ordination vows and conduct unbecoming a clergyman. So far, at least 30 other bishops have endorsed the request, which declares that Pike's denial of the Trinity, the physical Resurrection of Christ and other doctrines represents a clear violation of his Episcopal oath to defend and uphold the faith.

Vigorous Fight. Despite his twin resignations, Pike is still technically a member of the hierarchy as a "resigned" bishop, and he intends to fight the charges vigorously. Undeterred by Pike's withdrawal from active office, Louttit still intends to put his case before the House of Bishops. But other Episcopal leaders are worried about the disastrous effect of a heresy hearing on the church's image and the bitter internal conflicts it would create. They are trying, so far unsuccessfully, to get Louttit to abandon his demand for a trial.

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