Fissures remain after Episcopal Church convention (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
July 6th, 2006 by Peter Frank
Discussions almost always include Pittsburgh, the nexus of the Episcopal Church’s theological conservatives. Bishop Robert W. Duncan Jr. is moderator of the Anglican Communion Network, a 3-year-old group of 10 dioceses and 900 parishes formed after the church’s confirmation of openly gay Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. It represents just 10 percent of the Episcopal Church’s 2.2 million members, but is buoyed by biblically orthodox Anglicans in Africa and Asia, the most populous churches in the communion.
It was not surprising that some of the network’s dioceses immediately sought alternative oversight since Bishop Jefferts Schori participated in Bishop Robinson’s consecration and approved same-sex blessings in her home diocese of Nevada. Biblically orthodox Episcopalians believe homosexuality is incompatible with Scripture.
But the move to form a new province is unprecedented, according to the Rev. J. Robert Wright, historiographer of the Episcopal Church.
“There might be a group of leaders in the Episcopal Church who might seek formation of a new province,” he said, “but not a diocese.”
Bishop Duncan has said the province would enable conservative dioceses like Pittsburgh to join together, rather than remain dispersed among the church’s nine present provinces.
The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Prichard, a professor of church history at Virginia Theological Seminary, said the Episcopal Church historically has relied on structural answers to deal with theological questions.
“Instead of figuring out how to reconcile competing theological claims, the church is trying to figure out how to adjust its structure to contain advocates of those differing views,” he said.
The geographically grouped provinces’ primary authority is to elect half of the church’s 36-member Executive Council, which governs the church between its General Conventions.
However, the Rev. Dr. Harold Lewis, rector of Shadyside’s Calvary Episcopal Church, sees something larger at work.
“This is all part of a master plan,” said Rev. Lewis, who has called a Thursday news conference for diocesan clergy opposed to Bishop Duncan.