Episcopal diocese chooses to secede

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh yesterday voted to secede from the Episcopal Church and join the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in South America. At least 17 of 74 congregations elected to remain with the U.S. church. Meeting in Monroeville, the laity representatives voted 119-69 and the clergy voted, 121-33, to secede. Bishop Robert Duncan, whom the Episcopal House of Bishops deposed Sept 18 but is now "episcopal commissary" to Pittsburgh from the Southern Cone, called it "a historic day"...

The Episcopal Church views the Pittsburgh secession as a violation of canon law and claims full rights to all church property. Litigation is expected. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, primate of the Episcopal Church, said most of the worldwide church "will be intensely grieved by the actions of individuals" in Pittsburgh. Unlike in the past, however, she did not mention suing the breakaway group. "I have repeatedly reassured Episcopalians that there is abundant room for dissent within this Church, and that loyal opposition is a long and honored tradition within Anglicanism. Schism is not," she said...

The Southern Cone group will hold a convention Nov. 7-8 to elect a bishop, which is expected to be Bishop Duncan. The continuing Episcopal Diocese also expects to call a convention before the end of the year to elect new leaders, including a retired bishop to serve until a permanent bishop can be chosen.

The Rev. George Werner of Sewickley, a loyalist and a former top official of the Episcopal Church, said the denominations headquarters in New York was "to be advised" by local Episcopalians. "Many people, myself included, want to make sure that [national leaders] don't slam a bishop in here who will tear us to shreds," he said, an acknowledgement that many Episcopal loyalists are also conservative.

There is agreement that at least 17 parishes will not join the Southern Cone; and the Rev. Simons believes it could go as high as 28. Both sides also agree that many parishes on both sides are likely to lose some members to the other side. The Rev. Werner believes that splits in small churches could cause 20 to 30 of them to fail altogether...

The Rev. Mary Hays, a top official of the Anglican diocese, said she believed Pittsburgh would become a haven for women throughout the conservative movement. The Province of the Southern Cone, which does not itself ordain women, has agreed that Pittsburgh can continue to do so, she said. "Women in realignment who have a call to ordination will be ordained here," she said.

"What we have done today has been to bring the diocese fully back into mainstream Anglicanism," said Bishop Henry Scriven, Pittsburgh's former assistant bishop and now a "bishop providing assistance" to the Anglican diocese. Clergy were offered credentials from the Southern Cone, though they have two years to make up their minds. They were also given handouts for parish bulletins, explaining the vote.

You can find the whole article here.