Updated again Thursday morning
The Diocese of Quincy has voted to depart from The Episcopal Church and (separately) has voted to affiliate with the Province of the Southern Cone.
The Living Church has the details at Quincy Synod Votes to Join the Southern Cone.
Update Friday evening Episcopal News Service has a bulletin at Quincy members vote to leave Episcopal Church, align with Southern Cone.
Update Saturday evening
Episcopal News Service has this further very detailed report by Joe Bjordal Presiding Bishop says church laments Quincy departures.
Update Sunday morning
The Peoria Journal-Star has Episcopal diocese leaving national church by Erin Wood.
The Associated Press has 3rd Episcopal diocese splits from national church by Rachel Zoll.
Update Tuesday morning
Quad-City Times Episcopal Church split might turn into conflict over property by Deirdre Cox Baker
Update Thursday morning
There is a further report in the Living Church Quincy Promises ‘Christian Charity’ for Remaining Episcopalians.
17 CommentsUpdated Friday evening
Ruth Gledhill has a report in The Times headlined Barack Obama asked gay bishop Gene Robinson what it was like to be ‘first’.
Bishop Robinson, in London as a guest of the gay rights group Stonewall for its annual “Hero of the Year” awards dinner at the Victoria and Albert Museum tonight, said that Mr Obama’s campaign team had sought him last year and he had the “honour” of three private conversations with the future president of the United States last May and June.
“The first words out of his mouth were: ‘Well you’re certainly causing a lot of trouble’, My response to him was: ‘Well that makes two of us’.”
There is a transcript of this interview, together with audio recordings, on her blog, under the heading Obama and the Gay Bishop: ‘Three Private Meetings’.
Friday evening update
The Hero of the Year Award was in fact awarded to Bishop Robinson. This award is based on the votes of Stonewall supporters, as is the annual Bigot of the Year Award, which last year was also won by an Anglican bishop.
See Stonewall press release here:
4 CommentsHero of the Year chosen by Stonewall supporters – Rt Revd Gene Robinson. Openly gay Bishop of New Hampshire. Has bravely endured sustained personal attacks in recent months, as church debate on homosexuality has intensified. Recently barred from Lambeth conference.
Updated Tuesday morning
The Diocese of Pittsburgh reports: Presiding Bishop Visits Calvary Episcopal Church, and the full text of her sermon is available here (PDF file).
Press reports:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Top Episcopal leader visits troubled members by Ann Rodgers
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Episcopal leader says exodus ‘tragic’ by Bonnie Pfister
There is a further diocesan announcement: Bishop Jones To Make First Parish Visit.
Update
ENS has a full report by Mary Frances Schjonberg All involved in Pittsburgh split are saints, Presiding Bishop tells Pittsburgh Episcopalians. Part of that report:
28 CommentsMany of the questions concerned the tensions in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion that led to the October 4 vote. More than once, Jefferts Schori suggested that those tensions would ease in the next few years. She said that more bishops across the communion have a better understanding of the complexity of the issues. Those bishops have said “‘we don’t agree, but we recognize you are called to follow where you believe the Spirit is taking you, and we are called to try to understand that,’” according to the Presiding Bishop.
Others questions addressed theological matters, including the issue of whether Jefferts Schori had suggested there are ways to salvation other than following Jesus.
“That’s not what I said,” Jefferts Schori said, explaining that she has noted in the past that “most Christians believe Christ died for all, as savior for the whole world.”
She said she has also cited the Bible’s record of God’s promises to the Jewish people and other promises that “were not broken by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.”
“Therefore, Jews have access to salvation without consciously saying ‘Jesus is my Lord and savior.’ I didn’t do that; God did it. I also see that God made promises to Hagar and Ishmael, whom Muslims claim as their ancestor,” she said. “I don’t think God broke those promises when Jesus came among us.”
Jefferts Schori had touched on the question during her sermon, noting that “Episcopalians and other Christians wrestle with how broadly to understand the family of God, and whether non-Christians are included, for we can certainly point to holy examples who show us what God at work in the world looks like — people like the Dalai Lama and Mahatma Gandhi.”
She suggested that “it seems more fruitful to remember that Jesus’ saving work was and is for the whole world, and that our baptismal promises are about living holy lives, together, in community.”
Updated
An email was published yesterday which announces that Bishop Keith Ackerman of the Diocese of Quincy will retire, effective 1 November. That’s the day after tomorrow!
The text of the announcement can be found here, or here, or here.
The Diocesan Synod is scheduled for the following weekend, 7-8 November. The resolutions due to be considered can be found in this PDF file here.
A recent local newspaper report explains what is expected: Illinois Episcopalians face historic vote.
Update
There is now a Living Church report titled Bishop Ackerman to Resign Saturday.
ENS now has a comprehensive report at Quincy’s Bishop Ackerman announces retirement.
Forward in Faith announces that Bishop Keith Ackerman will remain as President of Forward in Faith North America.
18 CommentsThe Executive Council of The Episcopal Church passed a number of resolutions at its recent meeting relating to the issues raised by the recent and anticipated actions of some dioceses in aligning with the Southern Cone.
There is a comprehensive report Executive Council promises support, money to continuing Episcopalians by Mary Frances Schjonberg at Episcopal Life.
The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council October 23 renewed its ongoing support of dioceses in which the leadership has left or plans to leave the church, and pledged the church to seek reconciliation “without precondition on our part.”
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori told council members that she appreciated their sense that irreconcilable differences are inconsistent with the gospel. “It is profoundly unchristian and unhopeful to say that differences can be irreconcilable,” she said…
There is also a report Executive Council Wants Dialogue with Common Cause Partnership by Doug LeBlanc at the Living Church.
Executive Council has called for a reconciliation-oriented conversation with members of Common Cause Partnership, according to the two top officials of The Episcopal Church. They spoke to members of the media Oct. 23 during a brief conference call at the conclusion of the council’s four-day meeting in Helena, Mont.
The council approved a resolution from its Committee for National Concerns, said Bonnie Anderson, president of the House of Deputies. Mrs. Anderson said the resolution is based on council’s belief that talk of irreconcilable differences is a contradiction of the Christian gospel.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said she was expressing nothing new when she said earlier in the week that she would “strongly discourage” General Convention from voting on a final form of the proposed Anglican Covenant in July 2009, if the final draft is released in May 2009. She said she has made the same remark for several weeks in various locations, and that she has not encountered any resistance to her plans…
Also, there is a report about: Bishop to Advise Pittsburgh Episcopalians.
The Rt. Rev. David Colin Jones, the bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, has accepted an invitation from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to serve as a “consulting bishop” as it rebuilds.
Bishop Jones will provide the Pittsburgh diocesan Standing Committee, the current leadership team, with practical advice on the details of diocesan administration, clergy deployment, and support for congregations remaining in the Episcopal Church in the United States…
The Living Church report on this also mentions that:
…In a similar development, the Rt. Rev. Sam B. Hulsey, Bishop of Northwest Texas from 1980 to 1997, confirmed that he has participated in preliminary discussions about serving as the provisional bishop of Fort Worth in the event that the majority of delegates to the annual convention on Nov. 15 votes to leave The Episcopal Church. No formal offer to serve in that capacity had been made yet, he said.
And, from San Joaquin there is a report that Realigning clergy are charged with abandonment of communion. See here for more details.
And also, the Presiding Bishop will visit Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh on Sunday 2 November. Read more details of this in their latest newsletter here (PDF).
10 CommentsEpiscopal News Service reports:
ENGLAND: Archbishop of Canterbury, deposed Pittsburgh bishop meet at Lambeth Palace
27 CommentsArchbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and deposed Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Bob Duncan met privately in London last week.
The Lambeth Palace press office confirmed that the meeting took place on October 15, but would not disclose details of the conversation between Williams and Duncan, saying it was “one of many private meetings” the archbishop hosts at his London residence…
Episcopal News Service reports that General Convention should not consider Anglican covenant, Presiding Bishop tells Executive Council:
11 CommentsIf a proposed Anglican covenant is released in mid-May for adoption by the Anglican Communion’s provinces, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will “strongly discourage” any effort to bring that request to the 76th General Convention in July.
Jefferts Schori briefly discussed the covenant process during her remarks to the opening plenary session October 21 on the second of the Executive Council’s four-day meeting in Helena, the seat of the Diocese of Montana.
Anglican Communion provinces have until the end of March 2009 to respond to the current version of the proposed covenant, known as the St. Andrew’s Draft. The Covenant Design Group meets in London in April 2009 and may issue another draft of a covenant. That draft is expected to be reviewed by the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) during its May 1-12, 2009 meeting. The ACC could decide to release that version to the provinces for their adoption.
If the ACC decides to do that, “my sense is that the time is far too short before our General Convention for us to have a thorough discussion of it as a church and I’m therefore going to strongly discourage any move to bring it to General Convention,” Jefferts Schori told the Executive Council. “I just think it’s inappropriate to make a decision that weighty” that quickly, she added.
The 76th General Convention meets July 8-17 in Anaheim, California…
Updated further Wednesday evening
There was a press conference yesterday, at All Souls, Langham Place. You can read all about it at Episcopal Life which has Former Pittsburgh bishop warns Church of England traditionalists against ‘complacency’ written by me.
Toby Cohen of the Church of England Newspaper was also there. His report on Religious Intelligence is titled Deposed Bishop issues warning to Church of England.
Anglican Mainstream has a transcript of part of the press conference, at Bishop Bob Duncan on recognition of new province in North America.
Maria Mackay of Christian Today has Deposed bishop warns traditionalists against ‘illiberal takeover’.
Anglican Mainstream has now added transcripts of further portions of the press conference:
First, his opening statement: Thanks, a report and a warning – Bishop Duncan’s statement to the press.
Second, some of the initial answers to questions: Questions to Bishop Bob Duncan -1: on what could happen in the UK, the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Windsor Continuation Group.
Third, more answers to questions: Questions to Bishop Bob Duncan 2:on Sour Grapes, Catholic Order and Martyrdom.
Ruth Gledhill has posted video of part of the conference, see her blog at Bob Duncan: Over-stressed, over here and over?
47 CommentsUpdated Wednesday evening
The Bishop of Fort Worth reports that Clergy Discussions on Conflict Produce No Solution.
…At the same time as these conversations were going on, a group of diocesan officials from Fort Worth were meeting with our counterparts in the Diocese of Dallas to see if a pastoral agreement could be worked out between our two dioceses, whereby parishes in Fort Worth that wanted to remain in TEC could do so as part of the Dallas Diocese. These meetings included the Bishops, Chancellors, Canons to the Ordinary, and Presidents of the Standing Committees of the two dioceses. We came up with a proposal whereby, under certain conditions, Fort Worth parishes and clergy could have “associate membership” in Dallas, including seat, voice and vote at their Convention, and their property could be placed temporarily in the name of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, to be held in trust for their use.
This plan was then presented to the Rectors, Wardens and Chancellors of five Fort Worth parishes that we thought would like to pursue such an arrangement, at least on a trial basis. They were asked to discuss the proposal with their vestries, and then we would meet a second time for further exploration. Unfortunately, at that second meeting, the Chancellor of Dallas reported on conversations he had initiated with the Presiding Bishop’s Chancellor, David Booth Beers, about the proposal under discussion. Mr. Beers stated that neither the PB nor the General Convention would support such a plan, and without their support, the Fort Worth parishes were unwilling to continue steps to implement the plan…
Update
Episcopal Life Online now has a report by Mary Frances Schjonberg FORT WORTH: Effort to let parishes join Diocese of Dallas fails.
Christianity Today carries an interview by Timothy C. Morgan with the former Bishop of Pittsburgh, Robert Duncan.
It is titled The Comeback Bishop.
Some extracts:
13 CommentsDo you have any second thoughts about creation of this new province for conservative Anglicans?
No second thoughts about it. I would have hoped that the Anglican Communion might simply recognize us as the legitimate bearers of the Anglican franchise here. But that’s not likely to happen in the short run. The significance of the Episcopal Church deposing me is much greater than what most people would assume in this battle for a province. For the worldwide Anglican Communion to see me deposed has been absolutely sobering, and even moderates are shocked and stunned by it…
Some conservatives continue to support an Anglican Covenant and the Windsor continuation process as vehicles for reform. Do you hold out much hope for these initiatives?
The covenant is a good concept. Sadly, the form, in which it comes forward, has no great strength to it. A better form of covenant would have been the Thirty-Nine Articles or The Book of Common Prayer. Those have been the things that actually functioned as the covenant for three centuries and more. So the covenant is a useful idea. But as it’s being developed it’s not [useful]. About the Windsor continuation group, the glacial timetable on which it’s working is like every other proposal that’s come from the Anglican Communion office, from the Archbishop of Canterbury. They have been too little and far too slow…
Are you confident that there will be a new province for the North American Anglicans a year from now? And are you the most likely person to be the primate of that province?
The simple answers are yes and yes. I do believe that the Common Cause partners will put everything in place that we need to put in place by Christmas. The time has come. In terms of my leadership I think I understand, and those who put me in this place understand, that in this particular moment my task, my call has been to bring the partners to a place, to the creation of a province and to the beginning of its life, and then I’ll be happy to give it over as soon as it’s clear that I’m not called to do it anymore. We will operate in a way in which the primate of the province is a diocesan bishop, will serve for a term, and may be reelected for a term. Then another will take up that primacy…
Upated Friday evening
The Church Times has Pittsburgh diocese votes to secede from Episcopal Church by Pat Ashworth.
In the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette there is Minority recognized as ‘true’ Episcopal Diocese by Ann Rodgers.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has Episcopal Church recognizes loyal parishes by Craig Smith.
Friday evening
Episcopal News Service has Pittsburgh Standing Committee fills vacancies, seeks Presiding Bishop’s assistance by Mary Frances Schjonberg
20 CommentsUpdated Thursday evening
The Diocese of Pittsburgh has a new website, at which we find
…Later in the day, I received a letter by e-mail from David Wilson informing me that the remaining seven members of his Standing Committee consider themselves to be aligned with the Province of The Southern Cone.
This information was conveyed to the Presiding Bishop’s office and today we received recognition as the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in the Episcopal Church and because of the absence of a Bishop, the ecclesiastical authority.
I am also pleased to announce that the Standing Committee has made several staff appoints. Andy Roman has agreed to be our Chancellor, Rich Creehan is Director of Communications, Joan Gunderson is the Treasurer, and Scott Quinn is the Director of Pastoral Care.
I am also pleased to announce that The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh will be holding a reorganizing Convention on Saturday December 13th. Details as to time and place will follow shortly…
Meanwhile a meeting has been called for 16 October.
The FAQ for Parishes previously published by Across the Aisle has been updated with two additional items.
Over at the website of those joining the Southern Cone, there is this letter: Standing Committee Responds to Demand it Repudiate Convention Actions.
Thursday evening update
There is also a press release: Reorganized Episcopal Diocese Recognized as Legitimate:
October 9, 2008
REORGANIZED EPISCOPAL DIOCESE RECOGNIZED AS LEGITIMATE
New Leadership Formed from Group that Opposed Realignment;
Governing Convention Set for December 13Pittsburgh, PA – Today the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church recognized a local group committed to the U.S. church as the legitimate Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.
The recognition by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori came in the form of accepting a new Standing Committee as the governing body of the diocese that remained after former leaders voted to leave the church on October 4th.
“I do recognize the Rev. James Simons and the two people he appointed as the rightful Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh,” Jefferts Schori wrote in an e-mail to the Rev. Simons, the only remaining member of the Standing Committee and the one responsible for reorganizing a diocese within the Episcopal Church…
The full text of the letter from the Presiding Bishop is available as a PDF here.
27 CommentsUpdated Monday morning
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Episcopal diocese chooses to secede by Ann Rodgers
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Episcopal diocese votes to split by Brian Bowling
New York Times Pittsburgh Episcopal Diocese Votes for Split by Sean D Hamill
Associated Press Diocese to Break From Episcopal Church and there was this earlier report, prior to the vote from Rachel Zoll Episcopal dioceses mulling split over Bible, gays.
Agence France-Presse US diocese splits from Episcopal Church amid gay crisis
The glossy brochure mentioned in some reports can be seen as a PDF file here.
Monday morning update
A further report in the New York Times by Sean D Hamill After Theological Split, a Clash Over Church Assets
25 CommentsUpdated again late Saturday evening
The Pittsburgh newspapers have reports on this:
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Mike Cronin Episcopal diocese to vote today on split
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Ann Rodgers Episcopal Diocese set to vote today whether to secede
Earlier the New York Times had Pittsburgh Episcopalians Weigh Division by Sean Hamill.
One item in that article caused Episcopal Café to respond with Proclaiming Jesus as Son of God never in debate.
Across the Aisle has published this List of Parishes Committed to Remaining in the Episcopal Church and has also published information about what will happen if “realignment” is approved, see NEXT STEPS: if “Realignment” Happens.
lunchtime update
Episcopal News Service has Convention could create four parishes in midst of realignment vote by Mary Frances Schjonberg.
Statements from the leadership of some of the parishes who are not “re-aligning” can be found here.
evening update
Resolutions considered can be found in this PDF file.
Constitutional Changes Approved
The diocese has voted with a clear majority to remove its accession to the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church.
A total of 191 laity voted. 119 voted in favor. 69 voted against, 3 abstained. A total of 160 clergy voted. 121 voted in favor. 33 voted no. 3 abstained. 2 invalid ballots were cast.
ENS has Bulletin: Pittsburgh votes to leave Episcopal Church, align with Southern Cone.
Further press releases from the diocese:
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh Changes Constitution, Joins Anglican Province
Diocese Begins Process to Recall Bishop Duncan
Two press releases from those opposed to the “realignment”:
Across the Aisle To the Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh Episcopal Group Vows to Help Return Pittsburgh Diocese to Health
And a full report from ENS is now published, Pittsburgh votes to leave Episcopal Church, align with Southern Cone by Mary Frances Schjonberg.
11 CommentsAn ecclesiastical court has determined that Diocese of Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison should be deposed from the ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.
ENS has a full report by Mary Frances Schjonberg at Court for the Trial of a Bishop calls for Bennison’s deposition with various links to documents.
The Living Church has a report by Doug LeBlanc at Church Court Rules for Deposition of Bishop Bennison.
The Associated Press reported it, see Pennsylvania Episcopal bishop ousted in cover-up.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has Episcopal court rules to defrock Pa. bishop.
3 CommentsFirst, two items from within the Diocese of Pittsburgh:
Bruce Robison who is Rector of St Andrew’s Highland Park, wrote to his parishioners about the deposition, explaining the current situation there, see Rector’s Announcement concerning the Deposition of the Rt. Rev. Robert W. Duncan.
Joan Gunderson president of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh and a member of the steering committee of Across the Aisle, wrote about the current situation, and this was reproduced on the web by Lionel Deimel, see Gundersen Offers Pittsburgh Update.
Also, this news report by Ann Rodgers in last Sunday’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is relevant: Diocese found breaking up hard to do, but still a relief.
Second, some more expressions of support for Bishop Robert Duncan:
Archbishop Henry Orombi wrote this Open Letter of Support.
Global South Anglican published this Statement by the Primates’ Council of GAFCON on the alleged deposition of the Bishop of Pittsburgh. The GAFCON website is broken at the moment, no list of signatories is included at GSA.
Update The GAFCON website has no list of signatories either.
Bishop Mark Lawrence of South Carolina wrote this: Bishop Lawrence Reports on the House of Bishops’ Meeting, September 17-19, 2008.
11 CommentsUpdated again Wednesday evening
Bishop Jack Iker has written 10 Reasons Why Now Is the Time to Realign.
This appears in the current issue of the diocesan newsletter, Forward in Mission. The complete newsletter is available here as a PDF.
The first URL above appears to be only temporary, so the full text is reproduced below the fold.
Update Wednesday morning
A detailed response to this has been published by Fort Worth Via Media and can be found at 10 Reasons Why Now Is NOT the Time to Realign.
Update Wednesday evening
Further responses can be found by Pluralist – Adrian Worsfold at Iker’s Inaccurate Slur, and also by Mark Harris at Bishop Iker’s Reasoning.
31 CommentsUpdated Sunday evening
The deposition of the Bishop of Pittsburgh was completed, ENS reports in Jefferts Schori removes Pittsburgh bishop from office by Mary Frances Schjonberg.
The letter sent to Bishop Duncan is here (PDF) and the formal deposition document is here (also a PDF).
Subsequently, the Standing Committee of the diocese issued a further statement, and ENS reported that Convention will go forward, Standing Committee says.
The Church Times reported on all this in US Bishops depose Bishop Bob Duncan for secession by Pat Ashworth.
Six Church of England Diocesan Bishops Make Joint Statement of Support contains the statement signed by the bishops of Blackburn, Chester, Chichester, Exeter, Rochester, and Winchester.
Update Sunday evening
Across the Aisle has launched a new website at http://www.episcopalpgh.org/
30 CommentsUpdated again Sunday morning
Episcopal Café has the rollcall of the vote at The post-deposition news conference and minutes.
Saturday morning updates
Further reports from Pittsburgh newspapers:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Ann Rodgers Some expected to resist split from Episcopal Church
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Craig Smith Episcopal bishop’s ouster sets up battle line
And a further report by Pat McCaughan at ENS House of Bishops adjourns Salt Lake City meeting with ‘spirit of commitment’ includes a link to a pdf file containing the official copy of the minutes and the rollcall.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh has set up an additional website, In Support of Bishop Duncan.
The Living Church has published the rollcall vote in a more userfriendly format, and also has News Analysis: Curial Powers Expanded.
Sunday morning updates
For many additional reactions see Bishop reactions to Duncan issue, Saturday edition at Episcopal Café and also see many recent entries at Anglican Mainstream.
The Pittsburgh group Across the Aisle now has a website here with materials and pictures from the recent event A Hopeful Future.
43 CommentsUpdated Friday evening
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had this last night, and this morning has Episcopalians vote to oust Pittsburgh bishop by Ann Rodgers.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has Duncan out as bishop by Tony LaRussa.
The Associated Press has Breakaway Episcopal bishop ousted from ministry by Rachel Zoll.
Reuters has Episcopal church defrocks dissident bishop by Michael Conlon.
The Living Church has House of Bishops Deposes Bishop Robert Duncan.
Religious Intelligence has Bishop of Pittsburgh deposed by House of Bishops by George Conger.
Friday evening updates
The Times Ruth Gledhill Leading conservative bishop deposed in US
Telegraph Martin Beckford Bishop of Pittsburgh deposed by Episcopal Church for ‘abandoning communion’
21 Comments