Modern Day Reformers
16 November 1963 – 2015
AOC Founders Day
James Parker Dees
A Bishop of Courage and Wisdom
(1915-1990)
Few would have
suspected that a member of the New York Opera Company would become a bishop who
would wage war against a corrupt and arrogant branch of the Church of England -
the Episcopal Church. But Bishop James Parker Dees was just such a fellow.
Bishop Dees was ordained in 1949 following his graduation from Virginia
Theological Seminary. After serving charges in Beaufort and Statesville (to
include serving as rector of an all-black church in Statesville), the Rev Dees
became disillusioned with the unbiblical teachings of the Episcopal Church. He
strongly objected to the teaching of men such as Bishop Pike who was in obvious
disregard of the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion and the Holy Bible itself.
Realizing that the actions of Pike were egregious enough to warrant his being
brought up on charges before the Church Court, he filed charges under the
Church Canons to have this action taken. Though the charges were unquestionably
factual, the Church took no measures against Pike. Other issues involving
infidelity to Holy Writ, a lowered view of the marriage covenant, and
intensifying liberal tendencies drove Dees to separate from ECUSA in 1963 and
form the Anglican Orthodox Church.
