January 13, 2009
By Mary Frances Schjonberg

The Rev. Rick Warren, pastor of southern California-based Saddleback Church and a leading conservative evangelical, has reportedly told a number of Anglican leaders that he is willing to aid dissident Episcopalians in southern California.

"We stand in solidarity with them, and with all orthodox, evangelical Anglicans. I offer the campus of Saddleback Church to any Anglican congregation who need a place to meet, or if you want to plant a new congregation in south Orange County," Warren reportedly wrote recently in a letter.

Kristin Cole, an account executive with A. Larry Ross Communications which is based in Dallas, Texas, and handles public relations for Saddleback Church, told ENS that Warren sent the letter to "30 top Anglican leaders" including many in the global south. The letter was intended to be private, Cole said, and declined to release a copy of the letter and a list of its recipients.

Edited excerpts from the letter were made public by Timothy Morgan, deputy managing editor of Christianity Today. Cole said Warren gave a copy of the letter to Morgan because the editor had accompanied him on trips to Africa, reported on those trips for Christianity Today and helps edit a blog that Warren's wife, Kay, writes for the magazine's website.

In the edited excerpts, Warren referred to a recent landmark California court ruling that the buildings and other property of St. James Church in Newport Beach are held in trust for the Diocese of Los Angeles and the entire Episcopal Church and thus do not belong to the St. James members who left the Episcopal Church.

The Rev. Richard Crocker, St. James' newly-arrived rector, told ENS January 12 that he had not seen Warren's letter but that the congregation was "very encouraged and gratified" by what he called an example of the generosity of the wider Christian community." Despite the court decision, Crocker said the congregation had no immediate plans to move but added that "all offers like that will be part of our future considerations."

St. James and other breakaway Episcopal congregations are "actively pursuing and contemplating church plantings in the region," he said. Warren's support is welcome, Crocker said, adding that he is not sure just how he and others would avail themselves of the offer. He hopes to meet with Warren "in the near future."

Referring to Anglican African bishops Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Henry Orombi of Uganda, and Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya, Warren also reportedly claims in his letter that the Episcopal Church "already considered me an adversary after partnering on projects with Kolini, Orumbi [sic], and Nzimbi, and writing the TIME bio on Akinola." Warren wrote a biography of Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola for Time magazine's 2006 list of 100 "men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world."

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori declined to comment on Warren's claims.

The projects to which Warren refers are led by his so-called "Purpose-Driven national movements" that he has led in the bishops' three countries. They are spin-offs of his best-selling book "The Purpose-Driven Life."

The edited excerpt of Warren's letter claims that he is on "[Diocese of New Hampshire] Gene Robinson and other's attack list for my position on gay marriage." Warren was a prominent supporter of California's Proposition 8, which was passed last November and banned same-gender marriage in the state.

Robinson told ENS January 12 it was inappropriate for President-elect Barack Obama to invite Warren to deliver the invocation at the January 20 swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the U.S. Capitol because it would give high prominence at to a person whose views about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people "are pretty awful." Warren has equated gay relationships to incest and child abuse.

Robinson specifically praised parts of Warren's ministry which Warren claimed had put him at odds with the Episcopal Church. "I feel very positively about Rick Warren in some ways. He has broken from his evangelical brothers and sisters around his compassion of AIDS victims and his working on alleviating global poverty," Robinson said.

Episcopal News Service
The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the Episcopal News Service.