A disciplinary hearing to determine if a former Florida Episcopal Church bishop had engaged in financial wrongdoing and discrimination has been delayed.
The Right Rev. Samuel Johnson “John” Howard is facing accusations that he engaged in financial impropriety while serving as bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Florida, as well as discrimination against LGBT-identified clergy.
Although his hearing was initially scheduled for April 30-May 2, according to the Episcopal News Service the meeting has been delayed with no new date set.
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Instead, both parties will follow a new timeline to submit witness depositions and other documentation by mid-August, with a new hearing date to “be scheduled in a future order.”
Howard served as head of the Jacksonville-based Florida diocese from 2004 through October 2023, when, at the age of 72, he retired from office.
In February, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe announced that two Title IV disciplinary cases had been leveled against Howard over his alleged actions while bishop.
Rowe explained at the time that negotiations between the two sides were underway, and that if a resolution could not be made, the matter would go before a hearing on April 30.
The presiding bishop had hoped that “we can reach an accord that promotes healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life, and reconciliation, in accordance with the values that guide the Title IV process.”
According to a document outlining financial misconduct allegations dated June 2024, Howard allegedly misappropriated money taken from the bishop’s official discretionary fund for personal use.
This included using the discretionary fund to pay three contractors about $18,000 in 2019 to make improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning at his personal residence.
Howard was also accused of directly benefitting from a donation by an unnamed “wealthy donor” who gave a sizable sum annually to a church entity called the Diocesan Foundation, which then went to the bishop.
In an official response to the allegations, Howard denied any wrongdoing and asserted that each of the financial actions were “transparent” and “approved by lay authorities of the Diocese.”
Howard said the diocese agreed to using the discretionary fund for the HVAC repairs since his residence was used “for multiple Diocesan purposes,” including “Diocesan fundraising, entertaining and business and pastoral meetings, as well as occasional lodging for Diocesan guests.”
Regarding the donor funds that went to him through the foundation, Howard responded that church officials met with the donor in question and approved of the compensation.
In a second Title IV canon case against Howard, the former bishop faces allegations that he discriminated against LGBT individuals within the diocese while serving as bishop.
Howard has again denied any wrongdoing, responding in part that his opposition to homosexuality was covered by official Episcopal Church clergy conscience protections.
