Conservatives disappointed after TEC ousts Pittsburgh bishop
by Jennifer Gold
Posted: Friday, September 19, 2008, 8:33 (BST)
Leaders of conservative Anglican group Anglican Mainstream have expressed their "great sadness" at the decision of The Episcopal Church in the US to depose the Bishop of Pittsburgh.
The TEC's House of Bishops voted 88 - 35 in a closed meeting in Salt Lake City on Thursday to remove Bishop Robert Duncan from ordained ministry on the grounds of "abandonment of the communion of this church". There were four abstentions.
Duncan, who has led the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh for 11 years, is the moderator of the Common Cause Partnership, a network of Anglicans in North America disenchanted with the The Episcopal Church's pro-homosexual agenda and moving to break away from the liberal denomination.
His deposition comes ahead of the Diocese of Pittsburgh's vote on October 4 on whether to secede from the The Episcopal Church and align instead with the more conservative Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in South America. The Pittsburgh Diocese said it will move ahead with the secession vote despite Duncan's removal.
In a joint statement, Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor of Anglican Mainstream, and Canon Dr Chris Sugden, the group's Executive Secretary, said, "To take such action is hardly in the spirit of the reflections at this year's Lambeth Conference or the Archbishop of Canterbury's final presidential address.
"We see this vote as further evidence that The Episcopal Church in the USA in its formal decisions and structures 'have denied orthodox faith'."
Bishops at the Lambeth Conference held in Canterbury in July and early August agreed an immediate halt to homosexual consecrations, blessings for same-sex unions, and cross-border interventions. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, spoke in his final address, meanwhile, of the desire among bishops to remain in communion and continue working towards a unifying covenant.
Dr Giddings and Dr Sugden were among the hundreds of conservative Anglicans who met in Jerusalem in June for the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) to assess the future of orthodox Anglicanism and the Anglican Communion.
The two leaders pointed in their statement to the Jerusalem Declaration issued by GAFCON leaders at the end of their conference, which stated, "We reject the authority of those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed. We pray for them and call on them to repent and return to the Lord."
Dr Giddings and Dr Sugden added, "Anglicans who adhere to the orthodox faith will continue to welcome and receive the ministry of Bishop Bob Duncan as a faithful Bishop and wish him and the people of the Diocese of Pittsburgh the Lord's blessing in their faithful witness to the gospel."
The orthodox Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) also said it would continue to recognise Bishop Duncan as a bishop of the Anglican Communion, as Bishop of Pittsburgh, and as the moderator of the Common Cause Partnership.
CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns denounced TEC's "hostile and uncanonical action", saying it would not be accepted by the worldwide Anglican Communion.
"We hope and pray for the leaders of The Episcopal Church that they would protect the interests of its members by working with - rather than fiercely against - its bishops to proclaim the life-transforming news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That should be the goal of all Christians. Sadly, trying to fire a bishop in good standing with the rest of the Anglican Communion does nothing to save one soul," Bishop Minns concluded.
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Added: Saturday, September 20, 2008, 12:07 (BST)
So. It seems that the enemy, the old dragon, SATAN, has managed to divert and screw up the whole 'raison detrere' of the Church, ie the message of the Good News to the people of this benighted world, that Yeshua came to the world to offer salvation, the centrality of His death and resurrection and His sacrifice, made once for all time, on our behalf, that whomsoever calls on Him will be saved.
Hm... This side issue of homosexuality is nothing more than a diversion. We need to differentiate between the PRACTICE and the people - ie condemn the sin, but forgive and love, in Yeshua's Name, the sinner. No matter WHAT the sin.
But Satan has muddied the waters and we now have this situation, in the US, where the Episcopal Church not only fetes the rabidly pro-homosexual bishop Gene Robinson, in the name of liberal theology, but works to get rid of the bishop Robert Duncan, who wants to have the Church realign itself with the true ordinances of God, and not get sidetracked. And leave the Aglican Communion at the very time True Christians of all denominations and flavours need to present a united face to the world.
Instead, we have cracks forming the size of the Rift Valley - or Grand Canyon (take your metaphorical pick!) - that the forces of darkness can flood through in their many forms - take, for instance, the supposed moral assertions and compass that Islam in propounding, either insidiously or forcefully, to the West, where they want to complete their Caliphate. Or cults and sects that teach biblically sounding error - the list is extensive - to tickle the ears of peopleand mislead them - even the saved, as Yeshua told His disciples. Is this not what is happening in the Church?
But these are the signs that Yeshua told us to watch for. These and more. The Four Horsemen are beginning to flex their muscles. We need to get back to God as soon as possible! Amen.
Chris Maguire, Ventnor, IOW, UK
Added: Friday, September 19, 2008, 13:32 (BST)
There were so many violations of Canon law in this "deposition" that it heralds back to Caiaphas and the sanhedrin. "Abandonment of communion" is the charge for clergy that joined another religious group not in communion with the Episcopal church. It is not for sitting bishops who are members in good standing. However, Ms Schori chose the charge because it requires no trial. Of course, that is because it has been obvious - e.g., bishops who have joined the Catholic church. The canon law does require inhibition, which was not obtained, and a majority of "all bishops eligible to vote" which includes retired bishops - a vote of ~150 bishops since there are about 300 eligible to vote bishops. But there were only 128 bishops total present.
Quite a shocking travesty of justice.
robroy, Pueblo USA
