A DISCIPLINARY hearing concerning allegations of discrimination against LGBTQ clergy and financial impropriety by the Rt Revd John Howard when he was the Bishop of Florida has been delayed, after his legal counsel stepped back.
Bishop Howard, who retired as diocesan Bishop in 2024, is facing two separate disciplinary cases, which were due to be heard this month by a panel convened under the Episcopal Church’s Title IV process, which governs clergy disciplinary cases.
The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Dr Sean Rowe, had pushed for an accord — an agreed resolution between both parties without a hearing — but discussions on this are still under way.
A pre-hearing scheduling meeting attended by legal representatives for the Church and Bishop Howard’s counsel, Stephen Busey, and the president of the hearing panel, Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson, heard that Mr Busey was no longer able to represent Bishop Howard.
Mr Busey said that he had stepped aside for personal reasons, and told the meeting that the Bishop had not yet found other representation.
Bishop Brooke-Davidson agreed to set back dates for the hearing, although a new date has yet to be finalised. Both parties have been given until the middle of August to file documents for the hearing panel.
Allegations of discrimination came to a head during the attempted election of Bishop Howard’s successor, the Revd Charlie Holt, before the Bishop’s retirement, with allegations that a pattern of LGBTQ+ discrimination in the diocese had skewed the pool of those eligible to vote, thereby affecting the outcome of the election (News, 21 June 2024, 4 October 2024).
Bishop Howard, who was known for his conservative views, particularly with regard to same-sex couples, has denied any wrongdoing, saying in his defence that his opposition to same-sex marriage was covered by the Church’s clergy conscience protections. He is also facing allegations of financial impropriety, relating to use of his discretionary fund for personal expenses, including its alleged use to fund improvements to his house. In an official response to the allegations, he denied them, saying that his actions were transparent and “approved by the lay authorities of the Diocese”.
He retired after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 72. His successor as Bishop has still not been appointed, after Fr Holt was twice elected but did not win the consent of other dioceses, owing to the ongoing allegations of discrimination.
The diocese of Florida’s standing committee announced last month that it was preparing for a third time to appoint a bishop, after a pause of more than a year for “healing and discernment” (News, 11 April).