Updated again Friday evening
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Anglicans appeal ruling on property division.
A group of 55 congregations that split last year from the Episcopal Church announced today that they will appeal a court ruling that awarded all centrally held diocesan assets to the 27 congregations that remained in the Episcopal Church.
“We believe we have to make this stand,” said the Rev. Jonathan Millard, rector of Church of the Ascension in Oakland and chair of the Alliance for an Anglican Future.
The group also announced that it was changing its name to The Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. It was formally known as the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (Anglican). The group they split from is known as the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church of the United States…
The Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh published a press release ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH RESPONDS TO COURT RULING at a new website, http://pittsburghanglican.org although the group’s website at http://www.pitanglican.org remains.
Today, we are pleased to introduce ourselves as The Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. Previously known as The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, our diocese is comprised of fifty-five congregations; 51 local congregations with a very long record of service to Pittsburgh area communities (in eleven southwestern Pennsylvania counties), and 4 congregations beyond the immediate region. We were the majority (67%) on the vote to withdraw from the Episcopal Church and are the majority now: 55 Anglican Church congregations as compared to 27 Episcopal Church congregations.
Our purpose in asking you here today is to announce our intention to appeal the recent ruling of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. The court ruled that a minority of our former parishes, which now claim to be a diocese affiliated with the Episcopal Church, shall hold and administer all diocesan assets. The appeal will be filed once the court issues a final directing the transfer of all diocesan property to this minority group…
The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has issued a press release, Statement Concerning Announced Intent to Appeal Ruling in Diocesan Assets Case.
We are disappointed that the former leaders of this diocese, who now call themselves the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, have decided to appeal Judge Joseph James’ October 6, 2009, ruling that a 2005 settlement agreement prevents those former leaders from continuing to hold and administer the diocesan assets.
Judge James found that the 2005 Stipulation and Order – that both sides agreed to before those former leaders left the Episcopal Church – clearly and unambiguously requires that the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church of the United States be the rightful trustee of those assets.
We stand ready to defend our position and the Court’s ruling on appeal. At the same time, we will continue to cooperate in the orderly transition of diocesan property, and when the time is right, to engage in a dialogue on other issues between us that still need to be resolved.
Updates
ENS has a lengthy report, reviewing the background, see PITTSBURGH: Group plans to appeal diocesan property ruling by Mary Frances Schjonberg.
The Living Church has a report by Doug LeBlanc Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh to Leave Longtime Office.
Hurrah for this determination on the part of the truly Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to defend the property of the Episcopal Church – as defined by His Honour Judge Joseph James on October 6, 2009. To take any other course would be to give in to the hubris of ACNA and others who deny the theological integrity of TEC, in its prophetic movement to Ordain and offer Blessings to LGBT members of the Episcopal Church in the USA. Perhaps the culture of legislation may yet persuade the dissenters not to attempt any further misappropriation of the dignity and property of… Read more »
Amazing. I hope all will recall Bishop Duncan’s performance at Dar-es-Salaam condemning the lawsuits. The message then was Christians don’t sue Christians. So what is the message now? Will the argument be that Bishop Duncan can sue TEC because TEC isn’t Christian? When will the primates wake up and realize they’ve been had. Is it time for them to read the Secret Global South Memo and learn the real agenda. It is about the property. It was always about the property. The hands of innocent and suffering Reverend Mr. Duncan are just as dirty, when it comes to holding onto… Read more »
xDuncan’s mouthpiece, Millard: “a minority of our former parishes, which now claim to be a diocese affiliated with the Episcopal Church”
Give me a break: “claim to be”?!
An *unconstitutional* vote, even if by a “majority”, remains unconstitutional. God bless TEC!
“An *unconstitutional* vote, even if by a ‘majority’, remains unconstitutional.”
Here’s what bothers me: aren’t these the same good, “orthodox” folks who keep telling us you can’t discern truth by majority vote?
And yet . . .
Well, why go on. Only a fool wouldn’t see it.
I thought that the definition of what constitutes Anglican is that one is recognised by and in communion with the Archbishop (See) of Canterbury. The name change seems somewhat premature, even presumptuous.
“I thought that the definition of what constitutes Anglican is that one is recognised by and in communion with the Archbishop (See) of Canterbury.”
Oh, not here in the States! We have all sorts of erstwhile and would-be “Anglican” groups who wouldn’t touch Canterbury with a ten foot virge.
“Will the argument be that Bishop Duncan can sue TEC because TEC isn’t Christian?”
Well, given that the Jerusalem Declaration reiterates their often stated belief that TEC is apostate, preaching a “different Gospel”, and selling out to the world, I’d say the answer to this is “yes”.
Gives a whole new meaning to the local (American) football team….The Pittsburgh Stealers.
“I thought that the definition of what constitutes Anglican is that one is recognised by and in communion with the Archbishop (See) of Canterbury. The name change seems somewhat premature, even presumptuous.” Sorry, but this is classic C of E thinking. In the U.S., the brand “Anglican” fell somewhat out of use in the 1780s. That’s when the American church that broke from C of E began to call itself “Episcopal” instead. At that time, anything that smacked too much of England was not helpful to the marketing effort. As a result, in the U.S., pretty much anyone who wants… Read more »
From the newspaper link:
Rev. Millard said the Anglican diocese thought an equitable split would involve “sharing assets, not winner-takes-all.”
“That just seems manifestly unfair,” he said.
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BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! They really have no self-awareness, do they?
My mother always told me that life wasn’t fair—but it’s good to see that, on occasion, people really DO get what they deserve. 😉
So – in some folk theology sort of way – do flat earth beliefs lead to thieving? Insofar as flat earth beliefs rely on egregiously Ends-Justify-Means ethics? Only xDuncan and his companions know; and even then the only sure thing is that God is antigay, period. Which means you can do anything you like to queer folks, including hostile takeover bids and outright stealing of assets or resources. It is transparently self-serving, all this conservative Duncan-esque Anglican realignment. His god comes across way too small, too mean, too shifty-eyed when it comes to other peoples’ family silver and gold. This… Read more »