The number of primates and bishops in the Anglican Communion publicly supporting Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh is growing since the House of Bishops voted to depose him from the ordained ministry of The Episcopal Church on Sept. 17.
Six diocesan bishops from the Church of England -”‘ Blackburn, Chester, Chichester, Exeter, Rochester and Winchester -”‘ said they continue to regard him as a bishop in good standing of the Anglican Communion.
The Bishop of Winchester, the Rt. Rev. Michael Schott-Joynt, has previously called for an “orderly separation” of liberal and conservative Anglicans following the Lambeth Conference last August.
The statement by the English bishops was preceded by statements of support for Bishop Duncan from the primates of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Southeast Asia, the Southern Cone, Uganda and the West Indies.
How sad it is that a Province of the Anglican Cmmunion which is in communion with less than half of the rest of the Anglican Communion would kick out a fellow member who is in communion with all of the Anglican Communion save one province – itself! The way things are going I guess very few Episcopal bishops see any irony in this or anything wrong with it. Now if Bishop Duncan had only written a book in which he trashed the Nicene Creed, then he would be a hero to the majority. Who in their right mind would want to have fellowship with such a Church.
Of course there is support.
The support has been clearly articulated for five years.
It is unfolding before our eyes.
Here’s a great way for Anglican provinces to honor Bp. Duncan: join the Global Anglican Fellowship.
I’ll bet Bp. Duncan would agree.
Hopper [#4]: Would you have expected Abp. Gomez to speak out as he has?
TEC’s single goal is to get the property and, thereby, cripple the missionary activity of their competitor, North American Anglicanism. All the moral condemnation in the Anglican Communion isn’t going to detract TEC one iota from their objective. If one were permitted into the inner sanctum of TEC, I’m sure you would hear the mantra, ” It’s the property, stupid!”
When the Bishop takes a portion of his diocese out of TEC next week does that show us that he was guilty of encouraging an exodus from TEC?
Yes for some and No to those who want to leave or already have.
I do understand why the Bishop feels as he does about his deposition: it must be difficult to be rejected by so many of your peers. I hope he will find more support in the next Province.
RE: “. . . . it must be difficult to be rejected by so many of your peers.”
Naw — not when those higher than your peers have supported you.
It’s the PB who’s been “rejected by so many of your peers” — without anything higher to support her.
So here’s how it works:
Duncan =rejected by lowly bishops/peers, supported by archbishops/Primates
Schori = supported by lowly bishops, rejected by peers/archbishops/Primates
I expect that neither one cares particularly.