Pittsburgh ... Following in the Footsteps of Fort Worth?
The Diocese of Pittsburgh today posted a summary of a diocesan leadership retreat. Entitled "Sober Leadership Retreat Considers Future of Diocese," it begins:
and concludes:Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh's Standing Committee, Board of Trustees and Diocesan Council discussed the future path of the diocese at Antiochian Village May 20-21. Speaking at the beginning of the retreat, Bishop Robert Duncan told diocesan leaders that "we're here together…to discuss our way forward in light of our failure to obtain Alternative Primatial Oversight."
Diocesan organizational consultant Cynthia Waisner helped the leadership identify a number of different choices in the light of the rejection of the 2006 appeals and, more recently, the House of Bishops' rejection of the pastoral plan put forward by the Primates of the Anglican Communion. The diocese could simply keep doing what it has been doing, remaining on the periphery of The Episcopal Church, but not attempting to reach a concluding moment in the conflict. It could submit to the will of the Episcopal Church in its majority, reversing the diocesan convention's actions over the last four years. It could attempt to separate as a diocese from The Episcopal Church, an option a number of Anglican Communion Network dioceses are considering. It could attempt to create space for conserving parishes to negotiate an exit from the diocese.
"We have reached a point where, one way or another, there will be a parting of ways. I pray that all of us, regardless of where we stand, will treat each other with grace and charity as we plan for our futures," said Bishop Duncan.The whole thing is worth a read. It sounds like Pittsburgh is moving toward "a Fort Worth moment."
posted by Lisa Fox at 5/22/2007 11:49:00 PM
4 Comments:
Reads to me that the ACN is dead and the choices are CANA or TEC.
I think that if the where the national church is today offends their sensibilities that much they should leave for something that makes them feel more at home - like the Reformed Church or maybe the RCC or whatever. Oh and btw, leave the keys to the property and the silver too.
I find this comment from Bishop Duncan interesting: '“We are facing something that we never thought we would face. We thought we would prevail. We thought that what we believed and what the majority of the Communion believed would be provided for,” said Bishop Duncan.'
I wonder what might have happened had he worked for his position to be "provided for," without an expectation or desire that one side or the other must "prevail."
I think that Pitt, Ft. W, and the others are seeing that CANA really doesn't provide them with the alternative that they want. The thing that seems to gall them is that they will continue on "the periphery" of TEC and not the leaders of TEC or the Anglican Church of America which they had hoped.
Pitt may be moving towards FtW, but where is Ft. Worth going? I don't see the people of Ft. Worth subjecting themselves to Nigeria.
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