Peter Frank, a spokesman for the Pittsburgh diocese, said the vote was done according to the denomination’s constitution, and the diocese hope to mediate with the national Episcopal Church to resolve differences – such as property issues – related to the realignment.
“The diocese wants an opportunity to have a graceful separation. That will be difficult if the other party chooses to sue us,” he said….
After the convention vote, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who oversees the national Episcopal Church, issued a statement recognizing those who voted against the realignment as the “true church.”
The Rev. James Simons, the standing committee’s one member who opposed seceding, said other parishes may eventually decide to remain. In the absence of a bishop, the standing committee becomes the ecclesiastical authority. In September Schori removed Robert Duncan, bishop of the Pittsburgh Diocese, from office. A previous committee had determined that Bishop had abandoned the communion of the church.
My translation: ‘We welcome you back with joy and love and please bring your property deed with you…’
The religion editor of this paper, a certain Christie Campbell, clearly doesn’t understand much about this dispute. She makes two very glaring errors in identifying the two sides in this short report.
First, she writes: “At the 143rd diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, the majority of laity and clergy voted to leave the Anglican Communion (sic!) and jjoin the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in Argentina.” Hmmm. That’s a pretty basic error. They left TEC precisely in order to stay genuinely Anglican.
And later Ms. Campbell makes a similar, elementary mistake:
“(The Rev. Jim) Simons…said the diocese that has chosen to remain with the Anglican Province (sic!) now has an office in Brackenridge.” Ah, that should instead be identified as the rump diocese that remains in TEC now has its own office in Brackenridge.
I can see how this whole mess is very confusing for outsiders who know little about either TEC or the AC. But this is still sloppy journalism. Those are quite basic factual errors.
Maybe a local resident could straighten out the record with a letter to the editor.
David Handy+
BTW, I just sent the reporter, Ms. Campbell, the same message via email, alerting her to the factual errors in her story. There’s no need for lots of T19 readers to pile on and do the same.
David Handy+
The use of the term “true church” is very telling and pathetic (in the denotative sense of that word): “church” is defined organizationally, and the basic dishonesty within the denomination’s convictions can…with a straight face…identified as “true”.
A strong delusion has possessed those who can deny the exclusivity of Christ’s shed blood, yet maintain canonical “true church” status.
Lord have mercy.