The Christian Century has Dan Burke’s story about four Episcopal bishops who are taking Bishop John-David Schofield to the woodshed over his perceived desire to leave the Episcopal Church.

By allowing critical changes to his diocese’s bylaws, conservative bishop John-David Schofield of San Joaquin, California, is clearly preparing to abandon the 2.2-million-member Episcopal Church, the four bishops argue. Moreover, at a volatile moment when disputes over church leadership and property threaten to rip its 110 U.S. dioceses apart, the denomination could be thrown into legal disarray by San Joaquin’s actions, according to church experts.

“You have taken legal action that destroys any chance that the rest of the Episcopal dioceses in California could ever argue that we are a hierarchical church,” retired San Francisco bishop William Swing wrote in a June 22 letter to Schofield. “That will create chaos for us for all time.”