Bishop Jefferts Schori also wrote the other seven members of the standing committee on Oct. 9. Citing Title 1, Canon 17, Section 8, she said that she no longer “recognize[d]” them as the ecclesiastical authority.
“Any person accepting any office in this Church shall well and faithfully perform the duties of that office in accordance with the constitution and canons of this church and of the diocese in which the office is being exercised,” the passage states. It does not identify who decides whether a person has failed in that capacity, or specify a procedure for determining whether a breach of fiduciary duty has occurred. This point was raised by the Rev. David Wilson, president of the standing committee of the continuing Diocese of Pittsburgh and rector of St. Paul’s, Kittanning. Fr. Wilson responded to Bishop Jefferts Schori on Oct. 16.
“The only reason we are the ecclesiastical authority for the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is because of your illegal ”˜deposition’ of Bishop Robert W. Duncan,” Fr. Wilson said. “Your effort to take advantage of this illegal action by following it with a subsequent illegal action (i.e., seeking to ”˜recognize’ members of a diocesan standing committee despite the fact that you have no jurisdiction or authority to do so) is wholly improper.”
Wholly improper sounds like holy unproper, which is what the alleged deposition and alleged actions of the PB are, in both senses.
I wonder why the Anglican Cone Diocese of Pittsburgh wants to be called the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh? Any suggestions other than the obvious one?
Why should TEC have the word “Episcopal”?
That’s number one.
And then, of course, number two is they are continuing to make the assertion that their diocese left, as a diocese. Naturally 815 wishes to claim that that is not true.
I am getting the feeling (especially re: Christ Church Alexandria/Falls Church and DioVa. that TEC is looking at any and all legal avenues to pester people with legal actions. Anyone else getting that feeling?
Litigation is intimidating and expensive. KJS and friends will never give a free vote or friendly deals – it would embarrass them on how many would go – and hit them in the wallet. Being ideologues – they also do not want their ideological foes to gain in strength. They are deliberately pursuing beggar they neighbor scorched earth polices. Regretably it is proving effective. Four dioceses are departing bruised tattered torn. If KJS behaved in a charitable and Christian manner the number could have gone to 10 dioceses – plus large portions of many more.
Looking at the map – TEC has lost badly in Northern Virginia, Northern and Southwestern Florida, the inland empire of California, Western Pennsylvania – it has and will continue to take big hits in Northern and Western Texas, Southern Illinoise. It has also been hit in southern California.
It remains to be seen how much more damage it will suffer in the rest of the south and lower Midwest. I think TEC is vurnable long term in South Carolina the rest of Texas. and Louisiana.
Gay mariage may provide another big push for the exits by parishes and perhaps dioceses.
But after that the growth of a second province will need to be by church planting including the breakoff of parts of parishes – it will be hard and slow work but the second province may have a brighter future – TEC knows that it is in a decline from which it will never recover.
The Province of Brazil has initiated legal proceedings against the Diocese of Recife. This province is in reality a client province of TEC in that it is almost entirely financialy dependant upon TEC. The timing is suspicious, and suggests that TEC’s oppressive tactics of litigation have spread.
#6, I suspect you are correct, and if gay marriage or blessing is passed at GC 2009, I would bet the exits of individual churches may pick up substantially, as well as individuals. The recognition of a second province will make the work of expansion much easier, I believe. And GC 2009 may be well advised to keep that in mind, because its actions may very well accelerate such recognition.
TEC is like a battleship; once the pride of the fleet, but now obsolete and no longer in commission. Most have been broken up for scrap long ago. Those that are left are museum ships which need constant repair and maintenance to stay afloat. The same will very soon apply to many of TEC’s properties.
TEC’s dioceses are sucking up money from their reserve funds and endowments because of falling attendance, and they are being forced to lay off staff. At the rate things are going bad financially, it won’t be long until the only people left in most diocesan offices will be the bishop and his/her secretary, and the churches…..many of them…..will be closed, and will open only on Sundays, while during the rest of the week, the buildings will be rented out for other purposes.
Cennydd [#9]: You’re too kind. TEC is like an aging White Elephant with a Napoleon complex.
Show me a canon where the PB’s recognition of anything has anything to do with anything, but especially the one about recognition of Standing Committees. This is a prevarication not even attempted by Edmund Browning or Frank Griswold! The Pb has no power, authority, or interest in interfering in any diocese. That Lee capitulated to her new sheriff mentality is due to his own weaknesses, not her her power.
Good thing the authentic diocese of Pittsburgh SC knows better than to listen to her blather.
No doubt she’ll continue to strum her lute and place her incense on the fire.
More banditry.
I wonder if the Primates meeting in January will be prepared to ‘recognise’ the PB?