United Methodist Bishop James E. Dorff admitted to violating his marriage and ordination vows and has voluntarily resigned as episcopal leader of the Rio Texas Conference, effective Jan. 1, 2016.
Bishop Jim Dorff
Bishop James E. (Jim) Dorff
Dorff resigned after a complaint was filed, Bishop Michael McKee, president of the South Central Jurisdictional College of Bishops, said in announcing the resignation on Dec. 4.
Dorff, who is also surrendering his credentials effective Jan, 1, expressed his regret in a letter to the college of bishops.
"It is so difficult to admit and share, but I must inform you that I did not uphold the sacred vows I made to God at my wedding, at my consecration as bishop, and at my ordination as elder. I crossed what were the clear expectations of relational boundaries.
“For this transgression, I am profoundly sorry. I offer my sincerest apologies to all concerned. My actions have caused pain to many, including my family, the person involved, each of you, members of the annual conference, and the greater church. I am so, so sorry," Dorff wrote.
McKee said that an interim bishop will be appointed to serve beginning in January. Until the interim bishop is appointed, he will provide episcopal oversight. During the South Central Jurisdictional Conference in July 2016, a new Rio Texas bishop will be appointed to a term beginning on September 1, 2016. The conference serves South Texas with nearly 400 churches.
“This is a difficult situation for everyone involved, but we are confident that the ongoing ministries of the conference will continue under the capable leadership of the experienced, faithful conference staff and laity,” said McKee, who will work with the leaders of the Rio Texas Conference to ensure a smooth transition.
Dorff, who presided over the merger of the Rio Grande and Southwest Texas conferences, is resigning eight months before his planned retirement.
Dorff was the leader of what was then the Southwest Texas Conference during the controversy that surrounded the clergy candidacy of M. Barclay, a lesbian. In 2013, the conference’s board of ordained ministry removed Barclay from the ordination process, without interviewing her, citing the denomination’s ban on openly gay clergy.
A pastor who worked with Barclay then asked Dorff to rule on whether the board had violated church law in removing her without an interview. Dorff ruled the question hypothetical and moot, but the Judicial Council — the denomination’s top court — overruled him. Dorff subsequently ruled that Barclay must be interviewed. In May 2014, Barclay got the long-delayed interview, and the board voted against her moving forward in her candidacy.
He was elected bishop in 2008, after serving as a pastor in the North Texas Conference for 36 years. He married Barbara Langley Dorff in 1975 and they have two sons and three grandchildren.
Complaints against bishops are handled within that bishop’s regional College of Bishops, under Paragraph 413 of the denomination’s law book, the Book of Discipline.
Kathy L. Gilbert is a multimedia news reporter for United Methodist News Service. Heather Hahn contributed to this report.