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Article: Montana Episcopal bishop defrocked.(Charles I. Jones III)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Christian Century
- Article date:
- March 7, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 The Christian Century Foundation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Episcopal bishop of Montana will be defrocked for his admitted extramarital affair nearly 20 years ago, the harshest punishment available under church law. A special church court ruled 7-2 on February 14 that Charles I. "Ci" Jones III, the bishop of Montana's 48 parishes since 1986, "has not demonstrated an understanding of or a genuine repentance of the offenses committed" and should lose his ordained status.
Jones was found guilty last August of "immorality and conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy" for his 1981-83 affair with a female parishioner while he was pastor of a church in Kentucky. Previously Jones had admitted to the affair, taken a temporary ...