Bishop Jack Iker — ‘Lion of Fort Worth’

Posted on October 7, 2024 
Filed under ACNA, People

Bishop Jack Iker at GAFCON 2008 in Jerusalem.

“The Rev. Rt. Jack Iker, also known as the ‘lion of Fort Worth,’ died Oct. 5 at the age of 75. …

Iker became the third bishop to serve the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth on Jan. 1, 1995.  …

On Nov. 13, 2008, after 13 years in the role, Iker left the Episcopal Church. He became the face of the split within the local diocese that made Fort Worth a focal point in the widening national schism among Episcopalians with opposing viewpoints on ordaining women and gay priests and blessing same-sex unions. …”

–  from The Fort Worth Report.

In 2008, Bishop Iker clarified the issues during his address to the Fort Worth diocesan convention:

“‘Contending for the Faith’ is the theme of this year’s Diocesan Convention, and it aptly describes what lies at the heart of the controversy that surrounds us.

Others have argued that it is a matter of contending for property, or contending for the authority of The Episcopal Church over us, or contending for homosexual rights in the church. But these are simply some of the side issues confronting us.

The real issue is the faith. We are taking a stand for the historic faith and practice of the Bible, as we have received them, and against the continuing erosion of that faith by TEC. This Diocese stands for orthodox Christianity. TEC stands for a revisionist and compromised version of what the Church has always taught. …”

See also many previous posts on our website.