“Part of the sadness of this conflict is that a lot of people of different stripes felt themselves abused and weakened,” [Dorsey] McConnell said, adding that he will “strive less for grand theological consensus than for basic pastoral care.”
“I want people to know I love them and I pray for them and I don’t want anyone ostracized from any conversation.”
The new bishop is enthusiastic about the city that has called him as its first non-provisional bishop since Bishop Duncan helped found the ACNA.
“Pittsburgh has become a very young and cool place. There’s a wide open mission field,” he said. “Everybody out there is looking for two things: they’re looking for mercy and they’re looking for hope. I’m definitely a missionary bishop and this is a missionary diocese.”
A very nice pollyanna piece. The new bishop certainly hasn’t inserted himself in the draconian “negotiation” strategies of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. All wind — no rain. All hat — no cattle.
[blockquote] “McConnell has served as a priest in the dioceses of New York, Olympia, and Massachusetts, and knows that his theology once prompted rolling eyes from his colleagues. (McConnell and other priests were discussing Christ’s resurrection, and “I was going pretty heavily for the empty tomb.â€) [/blockquote]
One can only wonder what position the other priests were arguing for.
If McConnell tends more to the conservative side of the TEC theological spectrum, then he will have more chance of getting the rump episcopal diocese going in Pittsburgh. But his biggest problem is the leadership of TEC – with the bishops openly endorsing same sex blessings, and a Presiding Bishop who denies the sufficiency and necessity of Christ’s saving work, he will find his witness is constantly undermined.