Saturday, April 21, 2012

Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh elects new bishop


From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Rev. Dorsey McConnell, a Yale-educated former agnostic whose classical theology moves him to build relationships with those on the other side of divisive issues, has been elected the eighth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Like the other four nominees, he has an extensive background in bringing together people of opposing viewpoints on gay ordination and other theological issues. That was considered critical in a diocese that split in 2008, with the majority of its clergy and laity leaving the Episcopal Church to form the more conservative Anglican Church in North America. However not all the conservatives left, and the Episcopal diocese remains theologically diverse.

He won election on the sixth ballot, after going head-to-head in earlier rounds with the Rev. Stanley Runnels from Kansas City, Mo. Rev. Runnels, a longtime advocate of gay ordination and gay marriage was the more liberal candidate. Although Rev. Runnels led among lay voters on five ballots, the final vote was 47 laity and 31 clergy for Rev. McConnell and 35 laity and 10 clergy for Rev. Runnels.

Bishop-elect McConnell had a majority of clergy from the first ballot.

Bishop-elect McConnell, 58, is rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Chestnut Hill, Mass. He has also served in Seattle and New York City.

More here-

http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/12112/1226230-455.stm

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