The New York Times reports on the upcoming convention -
Representatives on both sides in Pittsburgh say there will be no outright winners, particularly because a lengthy legal battle over ownership of church property is almost certain if the diocese votes to secede.
“No one goes to church to fight,” said the Rev. Peter Frank, a spokesman for the diocese, whose conservative leader, Bishop Robert W. Duncan, was removed by the national church on Sept. 18 for pushing for secession. “It’s going to be difficult. And, at the same time, there’s hope in this. It’s time to move on.”
Last November, the Pittsburgh Diocese took a required preliminary vote on the issue; the clergy voted 109 to 24 to leave the diocese, and the laity voted 118 to 58 to do so. “But it’s one thing to say you’re going to do something, and it’s another thing to actually do it,” said the Rev. James Simons, rector of St. Michael’s in Ligonier, Pa., and the only member of the diocese’s eight-member Standing Committee who opposes secession.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/us/02church.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=episcopal&st=cse&oref=slogin
3 comments:
The NYT story is pretty reasonable until it gets to the penultimate paragraph: “If secession is approved, the national church will select a new administration and begin work to retain ownership of church property, just as it has done in San Joaquin.” This is both a misreading of what happened in San Joaquin and of what is likely to happen in Pittsburgh.
Lionel, or Fr. Simons--did you write to Sean Hamill, the author of the article, to make that correction?
I couldn't write directly to Hamill, but there was a way to write to the overall editor, which I did. I said one or both of you may have already written.
Thanks Lionel and Celinda. Its been dealt with. You are both right the Presiding Bishop has been clear that we will reorganize ourselves.
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