News for Week Ending 8/31/2009

Presiding Bishops elaborates on her welcome address

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was criticized by conservative commentators for a statement she made in her opening address to the 76th General Convention on July 7, 2009. Specifically, she spoke of the “great Western heresy … that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God.” The Presiding Bishop has now written an essay, “Salvation's goal: returning all to right relationship,” explaining what she was trying to say to deputies to the General Convention. The essay appeared on the Episcopal Church Web site August 27. In the essay, Jefferts Schori identifies the heresy as “individualism,” a word not used in her July 7 address. She also admitted, “At the same time, salvation in the sense of cosmic reconciliation is a mystery.” The Living Church wrote about the new essay here.

Breakaway San Joaquin group appeals court finding

John-David Schofield and his breakaway Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin have asked a California appellate court to review the July 21, 2009, court opinion that declared Bishop Jerry Lamb to be the bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin and Schofield, the former bishop of the diocese, to have no claim to authority or property in the diocese. (See Pittsburgh Update story here on the trial court decision.) The Diocese of San Joaquin and The Episcopal Church have until September 15, 2009, to respond to the Schofield petition. Episcopal News Service reported the story August 28.

Daily American reports another side of Pittsburgh bishop

Somerset’s Daily American carried a report August 28, 2009, to the effect that Pittsburgh’s assisting bishop, the Rt. Rev. Robert H. Johnson would be visiting St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church the following Sunday. The story included a fact not well known to Pittsburgh Episcopalians, however. Bishop Johnson was a model for the bishop in novels by writer Jan Karon about an Episcopal priest in the fictional community of Mitford, N.C.

Standing Committee president presides at dog funeral

The work of an Episcopal priest sometimes takes surprising turns. The president of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the Rev. Jim Simons, found himself presiding at a memorial service for a dog on August 23, 2009. German shepherd Ando served Ligonier Township for seven years as a K-9 police officer. Ando was recently euthanized after being diagnosed with cancer. The story was reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Additional information and pictures can be found on the Diocese of Pittsburgh Web site.