Pittsburgh Update

News for Week Ending 5/14/2012

2012-05-14T23:23:00.000-04:00

Ordinariate for Anglicans coming to Australia

Eurasia Review reported May 12, 2012, that Pope Benedict XVI will be creating an Australian ordinariate for Anglicans wishing to become Roman Catholic while preserving part of their Anglican heritage. The new quasi-diocese is to be launched June 15. The Australian ordinariate follows the establishment of separate ordinariates for England and Wales and for the United States. According the Eurasia Review, the first parish of the U.S. ordinariate will be opened in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in August.

Church of Ireland fails to break ground on sexuality issues

On May 12, 2012, after extended debate, the General Synod of the Church of Ireland passed a resolution on issues of sexuality that reaffirmed traditional dogma. The resolution said, in part: “The Church of Ireland recognises for itself and of itself, no other understanding of marriage than that provided for in the totality of Canon 31. The Church of Ireland teaches therefore that faithfulness within marriage is the only normative context for sexual intercourse.” Episcopal News Service reported on the resolution (reproduced in the ENS story) on May 14. Details of the debate can be found on Thinking Anglicans.

Chicago Consultation, Ujamaa Centre sponsor sexuality dialogue

The Lead reported May 14, 2012, on a three-day gathering in Durban, South Africa, of Africans, Episcopalians, and ecumenical guests. The group “prayed, studied the Bible and listened to presentations about issues of theology, sexuality and culture.” The conference, which took place last October, was an attempt to foster better understanding of diverse viewpoints within the Anglican Communion through face-to-face conversation. The Lead story includes a nearly 12-minute video of voices from the event and a link to a written report about it.

Court rules for L.A. Diocese

In a story on its Web site, the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles announced that Orange County Superior Court Judge Kim Dunning, on May 10, 2012, granted a motion for summary judgment against St. David’s Anglican Church in North Hollywood and All Saints’ Anglican Church in Long Beach. After a long legal battle that went all the way to the California Supreme Court—see Pittsburgh Update story here—the Los Angeles diocese is poised to see the return of the parish property in North Hollywood and Long Beach in the near future. The Los Angeles Times ran a story on the court decision.

Falls Church Anglicans hold last service in historic church

WTOP-FM reported May 14, 2012, that the breakaway Anglican congregation of The Falls Church, in Falls Church, Virginia, held its final service in its historic building May 13. As a result of a January court decision—see Pittsburgh Update story here—the parish property is being returned to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. The congregation is appealing the order to turn over the property, but its request to remain in place during the appeal was rejected. The church issued a press release about its situation May 10. John Yates, rector of The Falls Church, wrote about the departure of himself and his congregation in The Washington Post May 11. Responding to the Yates essay, Jim Naughton, on The Lead, accused Yates of wanting his own facts in claiming that the congregation remains part of the Anglican Communion.

News for Week Ending 5/7/2012

2012-05-07T23:31:00.000-04:00

AMiA saga continues

The future of the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) continues to be uncertain. (See most recent Pittsburgh Update story here.) VirtueOnline reported May 1, 2012, that two AMiA bishops, John E. Miller III and T.J. Johnston are now assisting bishops overseeing former AMiA parishes as part of the Anglican Church in North America. According to VirtueOnline, “The Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) is in the midst of refocusing as a missionary society.” and Virtue quotes Bishop Charles Murphy as saying, “This decision demonstrates our commitment to being a multi-jurisdictional entity.”

Also on May 1, Murphy announced on the AMiA Web site that plans were in place for transforming the AMiA into a missionary society. Those plans were clarified during Murphy’s attendance at the recent meeting in London of Fellowship of Confessing Anglican leaders. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Five African primates—Archbishop Henri Isingoma (Congo), Archbishop Eliud Wabukala (Kenya), Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini (Rwanda, retired), Archbishop Yong Ping Chung (South East Asia, retired), and Archbishop Moses Tay (South East Asia, retired)—agreed to serve on an oversight body, the College of Consultors. On May 5, however, George Conger, writing for Anglican Ink, reported that Archbishop Wabukala had withdrawn his support for reasons that were unclear. Anglican Ink reported the same day that Murphy asserted that, despite the Wabukala withdrawal, governing documents for the new missionary society will be ratified formally on June 4.

Church structure to be big topic at General Convention

Episcopal News Service, in a story dated May 2, 2012, reported that debate on proposals involving changes to the structure and operating procedures of The Episcopal Church will be prominent at the upcoming 2012 General Convention, which meets July 5–12 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Concern about decreasing membership and high administrative costs have long been the concern of many, but the possibility of a major restructuring of the church was raised by Bishop Stacey Sauls, church CEO, at a meeting of church bishops last September. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The ENS story reviews some of the proposals and discusses organizational changes proposed in other Christian denominations.

Note that General Convention resolutions, which are still being accepted, are available on the World Wide Web here.

Final settlement reached with Savannah church

On May 3, 2012, the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia announced that all legal issues have been resolved with the breakaway congregation of Christ Church, Savannah. The Georgia Supreme Court had affirmed a decision in favor of ownership of parish property by the diocese, but the Christ Church congregation had joined an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the Episcopal Church’s trust interest in diocesan property. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The Christ Church congregation has withdrawn from the Supreme Court appeal, and the diocese has dropped its motion for a contempt judgment against individual leaders of the Anglican church.

Diocese settles property dispute with another Virginia church

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia announced May 4, 2012, that a final settlement has been reached with the breakaway Church of the Apostles Anglican of Fairfax, Virginia. Real property will be conveyed to the diocese, along with the sum of $230,000. Some personal property will be returned to the diocese, but the congregation will be allowed to keep other materials. Church of the Apostles will withdraw its appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court of the Fairfax County court decision in January in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) A more complete accounting of the agreement is provided by Church of the Apostles here. VirtueOnline also reported this story.

Appeals court rules against Tennessee parish

The Tennessean reported May 1, 2012, that the Tennessee Court of Appeals in Nashville ruled April 25 on the appeal of St. Andrew’s parish to a lower court decision in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee. The court upheld a lower-court decision awarding the parish property to the diocese after the congregation claimed to have left the diocese for the Diocese of Quincy, which, itself, claimed departure from The Episcopal Church. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)

Episcopal Fort Worth diocese comments on amicus brief

The chancellor and the president of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth have commented on the amicus brief filed with the Texas Supreme Court by seven Episcopal Church bishops and three priests. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The statements are reproduced on the Web site of The Living Church.

Chicago, Quincy explore reunion

According to a May 7, 2012, Episcopal News Service story, the dioceses of Chicago and Quincy, which were created by a division of the Diocese of Illinois into three dioceses in 1877—the Diocese of Springfield was also a product of the division—are continuing their dialogue about possible reunion. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Leaders of the two dioceses met April 28, 2012, in Chicago. They agreed to develop a plan and timeline for future reunion talks. Another meeting is scheduled for August 18. Quincy is the smallest of four dioceses that saw many congregations leave The Episcopal Church for what has become the Anglican Church in North America, led by Archbishop Robert Duncan.

News for Week Ending 4/30/2012

2012-04-30T23:57:00.000-04:00

Final 2 CoE diocese vote on Covenant

On April 28, 2012, the final two Church of England dioceses voted on whether the Anglican Covenant should be referred to General Synod for a final vote. The outcome, of course, was already determined—a majority of the dioceses had already voted against the referral. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) According to Thinking Anglicans, The Diocese of Newcastle rejected the Covenant, and the Diocese of York voted for it. The final tally of dioceses is 26 against the Covenant, and 18 for it. Details of all the voting can be found here.

African primates call for elected leader of Primates’ Meeting

According to Church Times, the primates of Nigeria and Kenya called for the Anglican primates to elect the chair of the Primates’ Meeting. Currently, the Archbishop of Canterbury calls meetings of the primates and chairs them. The suggestion for a new procedure was made at a April 23, 2012, press conference by the Archbishop of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, and the Archbishop of Kenya, Dr. Eliud Wabukala. The archbishops were in London to attend the leadership conference of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglican. (See next story.) Commenting on this story, Anglicans Online observed, “No amount of spin doctoring conceals the core notion that this is another step towards wresting control of the Anglican Communion from Anglia.”

Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans meets in London

Leaders of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FoCA) met in London April 23–27, 2012. FoCA is the product of GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference). Stories, video, etc., from the conference can be sampled at the GAFCON site. FoCA looks like the beginning of an alternative “orthodox” Anglican Communion, though its leaders have not declared their intention to split from the Communion. Thinking Anglicans posted a good deal of news, commentary, and documents related to the conference beginning here. A good summary is available from Paul Bagshaw in a blog post from April 28.

Texas bishop prepares for blessing authorization

Episcopal News Service reported April 25, 2012, that Bishop of Texas C. Andrew Doyle explained to a meeting of Texas clergy his plan for dealing with same-sex blessings, which are expected to be approved by the 2012 General Convention in July. The plan is intended to maintain unity in the diocese despite the fact that the anticipated decision will be unwelcome to many clergy and laypeople in the diocese. The plan will allow same-sex couples to have their relationships blessed in a limited number of churches. No parish will be required to bless same-sex couples, however. Texas law recognizes no version of same-sex commitments. Details and a link to a description of the plan can be found in the ENS story.

ACI, Episcopal Bishops submit brief in Fort Worth case

According to an April 23, 2012, story from The Living Church, members of the Anglican Communion Institute (which has no official standing in the Anglican Communion) and seven Episcopal Church bishops (four diocesans, one suffragan, and two retired) have submitted a friend-of-the-court brief to the Texas Supreme Court in opposition to the lower-court decision that found that the Episcopal Church’s Diocese of Fort Worth, not the breakaway group now in the Anglican Church in North America, is the proper custodian of diocesan property. The brief argues, improbably, that there is no higher authority in The Episcopal Church than the diocese, a minority view championed in recent years by the Anglican Communion Institute.

Falls Church request for stay denied

Episcopal News Service reported April 30, 2012, that Judge Randy Bellows of the Fairfax County Circuit Court denied the request by the congregation of the breakaway Falls Church for a stay of his order of March 1 requiring the Falls Church congregation to turn over real and personal property to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia by April 30. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The diocese has voluntarily extended the deadline to May 15.

In other news related to the return of property in Virginia, the Diocese of Virginia announced that an Episcopal congregation will return to Epiphany, Herndon, on May 6.

News for Week Ending 4/23/2012

2012-04-23T23:54:00.002-04:00

Christchurch rejects Covenant

Anglican Taonga reported April 22, 2012, that the Diocese of Christchurch in New Zealand has rejected a resolution favoring adoption of the Anglican Covenant. This extends a series of reverses for the Covenant in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The whole church will take up the matter of Covenant adoption in July.

Two more CoE dioceses vote for Covenant

Two more Church of England dioceses voted on the Anglican Covenant, according to a post on Thinking Anglicans April 21, 2012. The dioceses of Chichester and Southwell & Nottingham both voted for Covenant adoption. Of course, the votes are meaningless, as previous diocesan votes have assured rejection by the church. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)

Wales fails to adopt Covenant

The Church in Wales issued a press release April 18, 2012, indicating that the church’s Governing Body had passed a motion asserting the church’s commitment to the Anglican Communion but requesting the Anglican Consultative Council, which meets in October, to clarify the status of the Covenant in light of its rejection by the Church of England. The press release can be found on the church’s Web site.

Blue Book released

The so-called Blue Book for the 2012 General Convention has been posted on-line as a PDF file. The book contains reports related to the business to be conducted at this summer’s meeting of the governing body of The Episcopal Church. Episcopal News Service has posted a story on the release, which includes a link to the book itself.

Truro and Diocese of Virginia settle

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and the breakaway Truro Church issued a joint statement April 17, 2012, announcing that agreement has been reached concluding five years of litigation. A Virginia court issued a decision in January giving the assets of the church at the time the congregation left The Episcopal Church to the diocese. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Terms of the agreement, which include deeding the real property of the parish to the diocese by April 30, can be found on the diocesan Web site.

McConnell elected 8th Bishop of Pittsburgh

In an election that required six ballots, the Rev. Dorsey W. M. McConnell, of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, was elected the eighth Bishop of Pittsburgh in a special convention held April 21, 2012, at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh. McConnell led in the clergy balloting from the beginning. The early favorite among the lay deputies, however, was the Rev. R. Stanley Runnels, of Kansas City, Missouri, who received the most lay votes through the fifth ballot. In an event held the night before, convention participants met at Trinity Cathedral to speak about the five episcopal candidates.

The diocesan Web site contains information about the candidates here and also carries a story about the McConnell win and about what happens next in the diocese. Episcopal News Service, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Tribune-Review all covered the convention.

News for Week Ending 4/16/2012

2012-04-16T23:46:00.000-04:00

AMiA realigns?

The Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) continues to make news as it tries to attach itself to some other Anglican body after its break with the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) George Conger reported April 11, 2011, that the AMiA had broken into three factions—one intending to retain Rwandan oversight, one attempting to join the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), and one led by Bishop Chuck Murphy looking for a partner.

Two days later, David Virtue reported that Murphy’s faction has aligned itself with the Anglican Church of the Congo. In a letter to his constituency, Murphy observed, “Under our accord with the Province of the Congo, we are now secure and validly attached to the global Anglican Communion.” In an April 16 edition of Anglican Unscripted, Kevin Kallsen and George Conger express great skepticism that Murphy’s letter should be taken at face value. (You can find that video here. The story on the AMiA and Congo is about 5 minutes in.)

Covenant resolutions for General Convention proliferate

When Executive Council announced that it would introduce a resolution for General Convention 2012 to reject the Anglican Covenant—see Pittsburgh Update story here—it appeared that General Convention might quickly dispense with the Covenant. Since then, Bishops Ian Douglas, Andrew Doyle, and Michael Curry have announced a resolution that would continue the process of Covenant consideration. (See The Living Church story here.) Now an even more favorable resolution has been proposed by Bishops John Bauerschmidt, Daniel Martins, and Michael Smith. (See The Living Church story here.)

Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight extended

The Living Church reported April 11, 2012, that The Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops has expanded it Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight plan. Now, not only can a parish be under a bishop other than its diocesan, but someone from the parish in the ordination process may also be under the bishop providing episcopal pastoral oversight.

New bishop to be elected this week

Nearly a year and a half after the process was authorized by the 2010 diocesan convention, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is scheduled to choose its next bishop this week. A special convention for the purpose of electing a bishop will begin at 8:30 AM on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at Trinity Cathedral. (Election details can be read here. Information about the candidates and the search process itself is here.)

The evening before, Friday, April 20, 2012, Trinity Cathedral will host a discussion about the candidates. The event begins at 7:00 PM, with doors opening at 6:00 PM. As is the case for the convention itself, anyone may attend, but only convention deputies and certain other people who have voice in convention by virtue of positions they hold will be allowed to speak.

News for Week Ending 4/9/2012

2012-04-09T23:30:00.000-04:00

Congregations appeal to Supreme Court to nullify church trust interest

A.S. Haley, in his Anglican Curmudgeon blog, reported March 23, 2012, that three breakaway congregations that lost property disputes in the courts have appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that explicit trust interests declared by their denominations in response to Jones v. Wolf should not be enforced. Two of the congregations broke away from The Episcopal Church, namely Christ Church, Savannah, and Bishop Seabury, Groton. (See Pittsburgh Update stories here and here.) Details and links to the court filings can be found in the Haley post.

Virginia Episcopal congregation returns to building

According to Episcopal News Service, Episcopalians displaced from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Heathsville, Virginia, returned to their church home on Palm Sunday after several years of meeting elsewhere while litigation worked its way through the courts. Seven congregations that had left The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia were ordered by the Fairfax County Circuit Court to return parish property to the diocese by April 30, 2012. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The ENS story describes the homecoming for the Episcopal congregation of St. Stephen’s. The sermon preached by the Rev. Lucia Lloyd on April 1 can be read here.

Although a final transfer of property has not been effected, Episcopalians displaced from The Falls Church of Falls Church, Virginia, returned to a chapel on the church campus for an Easter service and Easter egg hunt April 8. The story was reported April 8 by the Falls Church News-Press.

Bishop Price Easter message on-line

An Easter message from the Rt. Rev. Kenneth L. Price, Jr., Pittsburgh’s provisional bishop, was posted on the diocesan Web site on Easter Sunday, March 8, 2012. Bishop Price wrote, in part,

For the Diocese of Pittsburgh, our Good Friday occurred at end of 2008. It was unsettling, destructive and a gut wrenching shame that this great diocese was so torn apart. Many felt they had been left in a tomb. But just as our Lord’s time in the grave passed, so has ours. This diocese has emerged from its tomb and the day is as bright as Easter morn.

The entire message can be read here.

News for Week Ending 4/2/2012

2012-04-02T23:48:00.000-04:00

English dioceses pile on

As of last week, it was clear that the Anglican Covenant was not going to be approved by the Church of England for quite some time, if ever, as a majority of the church’s 44 dioceses had already voted against returning it to General Synod for further consideration. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) On March 27, 2012, the Yes to the Covenant people issued a press release urging that dioceses that had not yet voted on the Covenant to vote for it, even though such a vote could only be symbolic. The dioceses of London and Manchester voted on March 29 and March 31, respectively. Both dioceses voted against the Covenant. (See tallies on Thinking Anglicans here and here.) The current tally, therefore, is 25 dioceses against and 15 dioceses for. The final four dioceses vote on April 21 and 28.

Thinking Anglicans has been tracking commentary on the defeat of the Covenant in England. In addition to the post we cited last week, posts can be read here, here, and here.

Comments solicited on the next Archbishop of Canterbury

In an unprecedented move, the Church of England has advertised for comments about the next Archbishop of Canterbury and for suggestions as to who the next office holder should be. (See Pittsburgh Update story here on the coming retirement of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.) The notice was posted March 30, 2012, on the Church of England Web site and elsewhere. Comments and candidate names can be sent via e-mail.

One Virginia church settles; others, maybe not

On March 30, 2012, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia issued a joint statement with Church of the Epiphany Anglican, Herndon, one of the breakaway congregations ordered to return property to the diocese. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Church of the Epiphany Anglican will pay the diocese $520,750 over two years and will vacate its property by April 30. The school operating on the property will continue to do so until the end of the school year.

Meanwhile, The Falls Church, Truro Church, and Church of the Apostles have filed various appeals or notice of appeals. These can be read on the Diocese of Virginia Web site here.

News for Week Ending 3/26/2012

2012-03-26T22:51:00.001-04:00

Anglican Covenant adoption derailed in England

Although voting continues by diocesan synods of the Church of England on whether adoption of the proposed Anglican Covenant should be returned to General Synod for final approval, the results of voting on March 24, 2012, assure that this General Synod (which continues through July 2015) will not consider the matter further. To date, 23 dioceses have voted against further consideration of the Covenant, whereas only 15 have voted in favor. A majority of the church’s 44 dioceses (that is, 23 dioceses) would have had to vote in favor of the Covenant for adoption to be voted on by this General Synod.

Episcopal News Service reported on the recent votes March 26. That story refers to a dispatch from Anglican Communion News Service dated March 24. In it, Anglican Consultative Council Secretary General Kenneth Kearon alludes to the defeat of the Covenant in the Church of England without actually admitting what happened. Instead, he emphasizes the churches that have adopted the Covenant.

Defeat of the Covenant in England has provoked a good deal of comment. A sampling is available in a post from Thinking Anglicans. Paul Bagshaw, with the help of Alan Perry, has analyzed the overall voting in English diocesan synods. Bishops voted overwhelming in favor of the Covenant. Clergy and laity were split about 50–50.

Episcopal election procedures explained

Judge of Election Jon Delano has written an explanation of the procedures that will be used next month to elect the next Bishop of Pittsburgh. “Electing the 8th Bishop of Pittsburgh: Some Frequently Asked Questions” can be found on the diocesan Web site.

St. David’s property to be returned

A March 26, 2012, press release from the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh announced that the congregation of the Peters Twp. church recently known as St. David’s Anglican Church will be returning the property to the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh “by the end of May.” The congregation will meet temporarily in the former St. Genevieve Roman Catholic Church building at 120 East College Avenue in Canonsburg, Pa., and will change its name to The Anglican Parish of Christ the Redeemer. A permanent church plant is intended for Canonsburg, and the congregation, led by the Rev. David Wilson, plans to meet again in Peters Twp. when a suitable location can be found.

Later on March 26, the Episcopal diocese posted a story about St. David’s and anticipating an “amicable process.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette posted this story on the Web on March 26 as well. According to the newspaper, St. David’s could no longer afford to handle its debt, which will become a liability for the Episcopal diocese. (The $20,000/month mortgage payment cited by the Post-Gazette seems excessive, however.)

Video of nominees added to Web site

As promised, video of the nominees vying to become the next Bishop of Pittsburgh has been added to the diocesan Web site. The nominees were recorded answering the questions asked in the plenary session of the walkabout held March 20, 2012, at St. Brendan’s, Franklin Park. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) To view the video of a particular candidate, go to the Bishop Search page and click on the candidate’s name on the left. The video will be appear below the picture of the nominee.

News for Week Ending 3/19/2012

2012-03-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

Archbishop of Canterbury announces retirement

On March 16, 2012, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams announced that he will leave his Canterbury post at the end of the year to take a senior position at Cambridge University. The announcement on the archbishop’s own Web site is accompanied by a list of some of his accomplishments. A story from Anglican Communion News Service includes an outline of the procedure by which the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be chosen. ACNS has also compiled a collection of tributes to the departing archbishop. Also notable is a rather negative view of the current Archbishop of Canterbury from the primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) posted on his church’s Web site.

N.H. nominees includes gay candidate

On March 15, 2012, the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire announced candidates to be its next bishop. Additional candidates may be nominated by petition until March 25. The New Hampshire election is scheduled to take place May 19.

The candidates are the Rev. Penelope Maud Bridges, the Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld and the Rev. William Warwick Rich. Candidate profiles are published here. Gene Robinson, the current bishop, is to retire in January 2013. His 2003 election caused a furor in the Anglican Communion because he was a gay man living with a male partner, whom he subsequently married. Candidate Rich is also a married gay man.

The Episcopal News Service reported the story March 15. Additional details were reported by the Concord Monitor on March 18.

Questions announced for walkabouts beginning March 20

On March 19, 2012, the Transition Committee announced the three questions that each of the five candidates to be the next Bishop of Pittsburgh will answer in two minutes in each of the walkabout plenary sessions. The questions deal with very small congregations, issues of sexuality, and experience with “the Triune God.” The Walkabouts, which give Pittsburgh Episcopalians an opportunity to meet and listen to the candidates, take place from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM on March 20–23. The questions and walkabout locations can be found here.

News for Week Ending 3/12/2012

2012-03-12T23:00:00.000-04:00

CoE dioceses continue to reject Covenant

On Saturday, March 10, six additional Church of England dioceses voted on whether the General Synod should consider final adoption of the Anglican Covenant. Four of those dioceses voted against the referral, and only two voted for it. (Details can be read here.) To date, only 10 of the 44 dioceses have voted to consider the Covenant further, whereas 17 have voted against it. A complete tally of the voting can be found here.

There have been a couple of video responses to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s video talk “Why the Covenant Matters”—see Pittsburgh Update story here. Episcopal Church gay activist and past Executive Council member Louie Crew questioned Rowan Williams’ contention that the Covenant is not punative in this video. Oxford history professor Diarmaid MacCulloch also responded to Williams in a video.

Covenant not doing well in Scotland

Although the Church of England has received the most attention as its dioceses vote on the Covenant, a similar process is ongoing in the Episcopal Church of Scotland. Paul Bagshaw has published a report from Hugh Magee. That church has only seven dioceses, and five of those have already voted against Covenant adoption. Magee believes the other two will do so also. Additional details can be read on Bagshaw’s blog.

SCLM releases excerpts of ‘Blessing Same-Gender Relationships’ report

Episcopal News Service reported March 8, 2012, that the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music has released excerpts of a report prepared for the 2012 General Convention. The report is titled “I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing: Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships.” Included in the material available here is a liturgy, “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant,” intended for trial use during the coming triennium. The released material also includes theological resources related to same-gender relationships and two resolutions for the General Convention. The ENS describes the material and its importance is some detail.

Blog invites budget feedback

As the 2012 General Convention approaches, attention is being focused on the proposed budget for 2013–2015. Perhaps in response to the unhappiness over the last-minute changes to the proposed budged in 2006, a blog has been established to collect feedback on the budget. The blog can be found here. The proposed budget can be found here. Episcopal News Service discussed the budget and the new blog here.

Candidate walkabouts next week

The five candidates being considered as the next Bishop of Pittsburgh will meet the people of the diocese in so-called “walkabouts” next week. The Q&A sessions are being held in each of the diocese’s four districts March 20–23, 2012. Deputies should attend at least one of the sessions, but anyone may attend. For various attendance-related purposes, people are being asked (though not required) to register for the session they wish to attend. Information and a brief registration from can be found on the diocesan Web site here.

News for Week Ending 3/5/2012

2012-03-05T23:58:00.000-05:00

IASCUFO members reinstated

Two former members of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) who were demoted to consultant status in 2010 for perceived infractions of their churches have been reinstated as full members of the Commission. Professor Katherine Grieb of Virginia Theological Seminary had been reduced in status because of the consecration of lesbian Mary Glasspool by the Diocese of Los Angeles. Bishop (now Archbishop) Tito Zavala had been demoted because the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone had failed to explain its interventions in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. The Southern Cone has recently declared that it no longer is involved in North American churches. Professor Grieb recently was featured in a pro-Covenant video. Additional details can be found in a March 1, 2012, story from Episcopal News Service.

Covenant fight heats up in England

Church of England dioceses continue to vote on whether adoption of the Anglican Covenant is to be considered further by the General Synod. On March 1, 2012, the Diocese of Sodor and Man voted to reject the Covenant. On March 3, the dioceses of Chelmsford and Hereford did so also. The Diocese of Bradford, on the other hand, voted for the Covenant. (See Thinking Anglican posts here and here.) As of now, 13 dioceses have voted against the Covenant, and only 8 have voted for it. For the matter to return to the General Synod, 23 dioceses must vote in favor.

As the Church of England approaches a decision on the Covenant, the rhetoric has been stepped up on both sides of the question. The Archbishop of Canterbury has just released a video in support of the Covenant. Thinking Anglican has been following major statements both for and against the Covenant. You can find links to the arguments here, here, here, and here.

Va. churches ordered to deliver property to diocese

Seven breakaway congregations in the Diocese of Virginia were ordered March 1, 2012, by Judge Randy Bellows, to deliver real and personal property to the diocese by April 30, 2012. In issuing his final order, Judge Bellows rejected the petition by the congregations to reconsider requiring funds contributed before they split from The Episcopal Church to be surrendered. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Additional details are provided in a March 2 story from Episcopal News Service.

Diocese releases candidate information

On March 1, 2012, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh released a report on the candidates to become the next Bishop of Pittsburgh. In addition to the candidates selected by the Nominating Committee—see Pittsburgh Update story here—the report (and accompanying story) revealed that Canon to the Ordinary, the Rev. Canon Scott T. Quinn, rector of Nativity, Crafton, was nominated by petition. A long story on the upcoming episcopal election was published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March 4.

A special convention will be held April 21 to elect a bishop from among the five nominated candidates. Deputies and other people in the diocese have an opportunity to meet the candidates at four “walkabouts” being held across the diocese between March 20 and March 23. (See story on diocesan Web site.)

News for Week Ending 2/27/2012

2012-02-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

Covenant supporters strike back

Supporters of the proposed Anglican Covenant made a strong showing this past week.

As a complement to the Web site of the No Anglican Covenant Coalition, a new Web site, Yes to the Covenant, largely the product of members of the Diocese of Oxford has appeared on the Web to support Covenant adoption.

On February 22, 2012, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity Faith and Order issued three brief videos in support of Covenant adoption, one of which includes a statement by Professor Katherine Grieb of Virginia Theological Seminary. (See Anglican Communion News Service press release here.) On February 25, The Living Church, in an editorial, praised the videos and called the No Anglican Covenant Coalition opposition to the Covenant “incoherent.”

Adoption of the Anglican Covenant by the Church of England came a step closer as two more dioceses voted to send the matter to the General Synod for a final vote. Thinking Anglicans reported that the dioceses of Winchester and Sheffield made the vote of dioceses 10 to 7 against the Covenant.

Rogue Brazilian bishop and wife murdered

The Rt. Rev. Edward Robinson Cavalcanti and his wife Miriam Cotias Cavalcanti Nunes Machado, both 64, were stabbed to death February 26, 2012, apparently by their adopted son, Eduardo Cavalcanti Olimpio Cotias, 29. Eduardo lived in the U.S. for more than a decade and had an arrest record involving drugs and other offenses. The murders took place at the Cavalcanti home in Jardim Fragoso, Olinda, north of Recife following an argument.

Bishop Cavalcanti, a strong Evangelical, clashed with the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil over the consecration of Gene Robinson. He was deposed by the Brazilian church but retained his claim to be Bishop of Recife by joining his diocese to the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. The Diocese of Recife in the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil, on the other hand, is led by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Sebastiao Armando Gameleira Soares.

Although the Cavalcanti murders appear to be unrelated to church politics, the death of Bishop Cavalcanti might have consequences for the two Recife dioceses.

This story is still developing as this is being written. An early story in English can be found on The Lead.

Va. churches petition to retain funds

Truro and other Virginia churches have petitioned Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows to reconsider his decision granting the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia real and personal property of the churches as of January 31, 2007. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The breakaway congregations claim that funds given to the churches were not intended to support The Episcopal Church, even though they were given before the formal split from the Virginia diocese. Fairfax City Patch carried a story about the claim February 23, 2012. The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia has links to the petition and to other briefs relating to a final order by the court here.

Amicus Briefs Filed with Texas Supreme Court

In support of the Episcopal Church position in the long-running Fort Worth property dispute—see Pittsburgh Update story here—a number of amicus curiae briefs have been filed by Episcopal Church dioceses, as well as other church denominations. Among the briefs filed are those from the United Methodist Church , the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Details are reported here by the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.

News for Week Ending 2/20/2012

2012-02-20T22:49:00.000-05:00

Four CoE dioceses vote against Covenant

Diocesan Synods in the Church of England dioceses of Leicester, Portsmouth, Rochester, and Salisbury voted this past weekend against sending the proposed Anglican Covenant back to the General Synod in July for final adoption. Vote totals were reported by Thinking Anglicans. Comprehensive Unity: The No Anglican Covenant Blog reports that 10 dioceses have now voted against the Covenant, but only 5 have voted in favor of it. A failure to garner yes votes in a majority of the Church of England’s 44 dioceses will derail the adoption process in the Mother Church of worldwide Anglicanism. It is unclear what the implications would be of a failure of the Church of England to adopt the Covenant.

Washington bishops support same-sex marriage

According to Episcopal News Service, the bishops of the two Washington state Episcopal dioceses, Seattle and Olympia, supported the recently enacted law allowing same-sex marriage and will make provisions for the blessing of such marriages in their dioceses. Although the law is scheduled to go into effect in June, implementation may be delayed or derailed through a measure expected to be on the November ballot. According to ENS, Olympia Bishop Greg Rickel has predicted that the 2012 General Convention will pass legislation similar to the Washington legislation allowing same-sex marriage.

News for Week Ending 2/13/2012

2012-02-13T22:25:00.000-05:00

CoE moves women bishops measure forward

After a three-hour debate February 8, 2012, the General Synod of the Church of England approved a measure that will lead to a final vote in the July meeting of the Synod on allowing CoE women priests to become bishops. Moving forward on women bishops had overwhelmingly been approved by voting in the dioceses, which also voted, in large measure, against making additional provisions for those opposed to women bishops. Although an attempt to amend the measure along the lines advocated by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, which would have made further provisions for those who cannot accept women bishops, the final language approved requests that the House of Bishops makes no “substantial” changes to the measure. The House of Bishops meets in May and will put the measure into the final form to be voted on this summer. The clearest press report on what happened is probably the story reported by Church Times.

Episcopal groups support Obama contraception decision

There was a good deal of news coverage last week of the Obama administration’s plan to require religious-affiliated institutions to provide contraception services as part of their health plans. Particular attention has been given to the opposition of Roman Catholic bishops. Less well publicized was a statement from more liberal religious groups that said, in part,

We respect individuals’ moral agency to make decisions about their sexuality and reproductive health without governmental interference or legal restrictions. We do not believe that specific religious doctrine belongs in health care reform – as we value our nation’s commitment to church-state separation. We believe that women and men have the right to decide whether or not to apply the principles of their faith to family planning decisions, and to do so they must have access to services.

Signers represented General Theological Seminary, the Episcopal Women’s Caucus, and the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, of which The Episcopal Church is a member.

Virginia Episcopalians preparing to return to churches

The Washington Post reported February 11, 2012, that Virginia Episcopalians who were displaced from their churches are planning to return to them soon. Despite the possibility of an appeal to the recent court decision granting properties to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia—see Pittsburgh Update story here—the two sides are working together to effect a smooth transfer of real and personal property. Episcopal members of the Falls Church who have been meeting in a nearby Presbyterian church, for example, are planning to hold Easter services in their historic church.

Albany churches consider DEPO

Albany’s Times Union reported February 10, 2012, that three churches in the conservative Episcopal Diocese of Albany are considering requesting Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO), a plan that would keep them in the diocese, but would allow the Bishop of Central New York, rather than Bishop of Albany William H. Love, to minister to the congregations. The church’s identified by the Times Union are St. Andrew’s, Albany, St. George’s, Schenectady, and St. Luke Saranac Lake. DEPO, a little used plan devised by the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church largely for dissatisfied conservative parishes in liberal dioceses, was first used by a liberal parish in a conservative diocese in Pittsburgh. For a time during Bishop Robert Duncan’s tenure, St. Brendan’s, Franklin Park, was overseen by the Bishop of West Virginia.

Quincy, Chicago exploring reunification

Episcopal News Service reported February 13, 2012, that the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy and the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago are exploring possible reunification. Representatives of the two dioceses met recently at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Peoria. Quincy is the smallest of the dioceses experiencing a departure of many of its congregations, and litigation continues over property. Details of the discussions involving the future of Quincy can be read in the ENS story.

News for Week Ending 2/6/2012

2012-02-06T22:02:00.000-05:00

Covenant votes continue in England

Dioceses of the Church of England continue to vote on whether to send the Anglican Covenant back to the General Synod for a final vote on adoption by the CoE. The No Anglican Covenant Coalition reported the votes of three diocesan synods February 5, 2012. The Diocese of Canterbury has voted to adopt the Covenant, but the dioceses of Derby and Gloucester voted to reject the Covenant. Additional diocesan synod votes are scheduled in the coming weeks. To date, more dioceses have rejected the Covenant than have approved of it.

Anti-gay bill returns in Uganda

Warren Throckmorton posted a video from Uganda on his Web site February 6, 2012. The video is a news report indicating that an anti-gay bill will be introduced (tabled) in the Parliament February 7. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)

Savannah church seeks contempt ruling against departed congregation

Winning in court does not automatically achieve the goals of litigation. Christ Church, Savannah, and the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia are seeking a contempt ruling against the departed congregation and its priest, the Rev. Marcus Robertson. The church, in response to a court victory, was returned to the Episcopal diocese in December—see Pittsburgh Update story here—but the petitioners allege that a $2 million endowment fund and other property have not been returned. More details can be found in a February 1, 2012, story from Savannah Morning News.

Absalom Jones event to be held at cathedral

The annual celebration of the first African-American priest of The Episcopal Church will be held at Trinity Cathedral on Saturday, February 11, 2012. Speakers include Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Tony Norman and the Rev. David A. Hooker, attorney, author, mediator, and priest from Atlanta, Georgia. Details can be found on the diocesan Web site, along with an on-line registration form.

News for Week Ending 1/30/2012

2012-01-30T22:06:00.000-05:00

AMiA/Rwanda rift continues to make news

The rift between the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) and the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda continues to make news. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) On January 20, 2012, George Conger reported that the break between the AMiA and the Rwandan church was complete, Bishop Chuck Murphy having rejected the agreement hammered out on January 4. On January 26, however, VirtueOnline ran a story saying that AMiA Bishop John Rodgers had accused Conger of making false statements about Murphy and the Church of Rwanda. Two days later, The Tennessean ran a story on the uncertainty posed by the AMiA/Rwanda situation. In that story, Amglican Church in North America’s Archbishop Robert Duncan is quoted as saying that the AMiA clergy that have broken away from Rwandan oversight are now “former Anglicans.”

Moyer rebuffed by Catholic Church

Fr. David L. Moyer, former rector of Good Shepherd, Rosemont, in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, has been blocked by Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput from becoming a Roman Catholic priest in the recently announced Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Moyer was deposed by Bishop of Pennsylvania Charles Bennison and immediately welcomed briefly into the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh by then Bishop Robert Duncan 10 years ago. VirtueOnline ran a story on Moyer and his strange ecclesiastical odyssey January 29, 2012. (For additional background, see Pittsburgh Update story here.)

News for Week Ending 1/23/2012

2012-01-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

English archbishops suggest ‘engagement’ with ACNA

Episcopal News Service reported January 20, 2012, that the Archbishop of Canterbury and Archbishop of York have written a document for the upcoming General Synod of the Church of England advocating “an open-ended engagement” of that church with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). As we reported here, the February 2010 General Synod passed this resolution, which began as a resolution declaring that the Church of England actually desired to be in full communion with ACNA:

That this Synod, aware of the distress caused by recent divisions within the Anglican churches of the United States of America and Canada:

a) recognize and affirm the desire of those who have formed the Anglican Church in North America to remain within the Anglican family

b) acknowledge that this aspiration, in respect both of relations with the Church of England and membership of the Anglican Communion, raises issues which the relevant authorities of each need to explore further; and

c) invite the Archbishops to report further to the Synod in 2011.

In the report from Rowan Williams and John Sentamu, the English archbishops “encourage an open-ended engagement with ACNA on the part of the Church of England and the Communion,” while asserting that the “Church of England remains fully committed to the Anglican Communion and to being in communion both with the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church.” Archbishop Robert Duncan is quoted in an ACNA story as follows:

We are encouraged by the desire of the Church of England to continue to embrace the Anglican Church in North America and remain in solidarity with us as we proclaim the Gospel message and truth as revealed in Scripture in the way it has always been understood in Anglican formularies.

The Rev. Canon Phil Ashey, of the American Anglican Council, offers a more nuanced reaction here.

Despite consultations, AMiA/Rwanda tie unclear

We reported here last month that the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) had broken its ties to the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda. Despite various meetings, it is not clear what the near term relationship of the AMiA to Rwanda or to the Anglican Church in North America is likely to be. The American Anglican Council has published a communiqué resulting from a January 4, 2012, meeting of representatives of the AMiA and the Rwandan church that took place in Kenya. Essentially, the sides agreed to keep talking. Also, AMiA priest Philip Eberhart wrote on VirtueOnline about his experience attending meetings in Houston and Raleigh. His report is interesting, but Eberhard doesn’t know where the relationship is going, either.

More information released on episcopal candidates

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has released additional information on the four candidates who have been nominated to become the next Bishop of Pittsburgh. Links to information such as age, education, etc., of the candidates can be found in the revised post announcing the candidates.

News for Week Ending 1/16/2012

2012-01-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

English Bishops call for candid Covenant debate

The Lead reported January 16, 2012, that retired Church of England bishops John Saxbee and Peter Selby have published a letter in Church Times pleading for “candid, even-handed, and open” discussion of the proposed Anglican Covenant. (The Covenant is being debated by diocesan synods and will be brought to the General Synod if approved by a majority of Church of England dioceses.) The bishops, episcopal patrons of the No Anglican Covenant Coalition, lament “that many bishops who are against the Anglican Covenant don’t want to say for fear of seeming disloyal, that diocesan synods are ‘debating’ the issue without hearing both sides of the argument equally presented, and that there is so much boredom and weariness about the whole issue.”

Archbishop of Cape Town: Covenant ‘necessary’

According to Anglican Communion News Service, Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury in response to the English primate’s Advent letter (see Pittsburgh Update story here). In that letter, Makgoba observes, “It seems to me that the Covenant is entirely necessary, in recalling us to ourselves. Only in this way can we continue to grow in bearing this rich fruit that comes from living the life which is both God’s gift and God’s calling.” The ACNS story includes both the letter and an analysis.

Virginia trial court rules for diocese in property cases

The same judge who who ruled against the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in the property case involving congregations that left The Episcopal Church while attempting to retain church property has, in a retrial, ruled for the diocese. In December 2008, Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy I. Bellows handed down an opinion, based on a Virginia Civil War era statute, that awarded real and personal property to the breakaway churches that are now part of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) On appeal, the Virginia Supreme Court remanded the case to the trial court, ruling that the state church division statute was misapplied. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) With the idiosyncratic state statute off the table, the case pitting the remaining seven churches against an Episcopal diocese looked like a church property case in any other state. Bellows’ opinion acknowledged that the canon law of The Episcopal Church does not allow a congregation to leave with its property and that the churches, prior to their recent departure, operated within the established rules of the church. Bellows determined that the church should relinquish real and personal property to the Episcopal diocese but can keep property obtained with funds collected after they declared themselves to be outside The Episcopal Church.

Episcopal news service reported this story. The ENS report includes links to commentary on the latest development in the Virginia story.

Four candidates named for Pittsburgh bishop

On January 15, 2012, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh announced the names of four candidates vying for election as the next Episcopal Bishop of Pittsburgh. The candidates are:

The Rev. Canon Michael N. Ambler, Jr., Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Bath, Maine
The Rev. Dorsey W. M. McConnell, Rector of Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
The Rev. R. Stanley Runnels, Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kansas City, Missouri
The Rev. Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, Rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Denver, Colorado

Additional candidates to be considered at the April 12 election may be nominated by petition. Petitions must be submitted by February 5.

The diocesan announcement can be found here. A description of the process that led to the January 15 announcement is on the diocesan Web site here.

News for Week Ending 1/9/2012

2012-01-09T23:50:00.000-05:00

Orombi to Retire

Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, primate of the Church of Uganda, has announced his retirement. A new primate will be elected in June and enthroned in December. Orombi would have reached the mandatory retirement age in January 2014. Orombi was a prominent supporter of deposed bishop Robert Duncan and had made a number of visits to Pittsburgh. New Vision covered the story here.

Texas Supreme Court to hear Fort Worth case

According to the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, the Texas Supreme Court has agreed to consider the direct appeal of the breakaway Fort Worth diocese to last year’s partial summary judgment in favor of the Episcopal diocese in the Fort Worth property case. The press release from the breakaway diocese can be read here.

Two properties returned to Episcopal diocese

The properties of St. Martin’s, Monroeville, and Good Samaritan, Liberty Boro, were returned to the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh at the beginning of January. The congregations, members of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, found other venues for worship. The transfer was announced by the Anglican diocese; the Episcopal diocese has not yet commented on the transfer, which returned properties whose deeds are held by the Episcopal diocese’s Board of Trustees.

News for Week Ending 1/2/2012

2012-01-02T21:19:00.000-05:00

Vatican establishes U.S. ordinariate

The Vatican announced the establishment of an American ordinariate January 1, 2012, for Episcopal priests and congregations who want to become Roman Catholics while retaining elements of their Anglican heritage. The provision for such ordinariates was first announced in 2009. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The new ordianariate will be headquartered in Houston, Texas—its new Web site is here—and will be led by Jeffrey Steenson, the former Episcopal Bishop of Rio Grande who left The Episcopal Church to become Roman Catholic. Because he is married, Steenson cannot become a Roman Catholic bishop under Vatican rules. Details of the story can be found here.

Episcopal Church debuts new Web site

The Episcopal Church unveiled a redesigned Web site December 28, 2011. In a story from Episcopal News Service, the site is described as a “welcoming, eye-appealing, easy-to-navigate, experiential site.” The site is available at the same address as formerly, namely http://episcopalchurch.org. Comments on the new site can be made at http://episcopalchurch.org/contact.

News for Week Ending 12/26/2011

2011-12-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

Southern Cone accepts Covenant

Anglican Communion News Service announced December 21, 2011, that the Province of the Southern Cone accepted the Anglican Covenant at a November Executive Committee meeting. In doing so, the Southern Cone asserted that it is no longer involved in border crossings despite its ongoing intervention in Brazil’s Diocese of Recife.

A table showing the status of the Anglican Covenant in the various Communion churches can be found here.

Sudan recognizes ACNA in place of TEC; bans PB visit

George Conger, writing for the Church of England Newspaper, reported December 23, 2011, that the Episcopal Church of Sudan has recognized Bob Duncan’s Anglican Church in North America, rather than The Episcopal Church, as the legitimate Anglican church in the U.S. As a result, an invitation to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to visit Sudan has been withdrawn.

Groton congregation faces eviction—maybe

The case of Bishop Seabury Church of Groton, Connecticut, seems to resist coming to an end. The congregation, which attempted to leave The Episcopal Church to join the Convocation of Anglicans in North America while retaining parish property, received a serious blow last September, when the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut regarding the Seabury Church property. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)

According to theday.com, the congregation is under court order to vacate the Groton property by January 4, 2012, but Bishop of Connecticut Ian Douglas has said that he will not insist on that date and is seeking a resolution that will not require the removal of the congregation.

On December 16, 2011, the Connecticut Supreme Court rejected a request by the congregation for a rehearing. The congregation plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

St. Edmund’s, Elm Grove, ordered to return property

Another church associated with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America was ordered to surrender its property to an Episcopal diocese December 16, 2011. According to Episcopal News Service, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge J. Mac Davis has ordered the immediate return of the parish property of St. Edmund’s, in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, to the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee.

The dissident congregation left The Episcopal Church in 2008. Attorneys for both sides are now discussing how to make a smooth transfer of St. Edmund’s assets.

News for Week Ending 12/19/2011

2011-12-19T23:29:00.000-05:00

Papua New Guinea approves Anglican Covenant

According to an Anglican Communion News Service story of December 15, 2011, the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea has approved the Anglican Covenant. It becomes one of a handful of churches that has so far adopted the Covenant unambiguously. Anglican churches in South East Asia and Ireland have adopted the Covenan with reservations whose implications are unclear. (See Pittsburgh Updates story here.)

Illinois judge denies summary judgment in Quincy case

On December 16, 2011, an Illinois state judge denied the request for summary judgment made by The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy regarding control of diocesan assets. (The Quincy diocese voted to leave The Episcopal Church shortly after the Pittsburgh diocese did. See Pittsburgh Update story here.) In a four-page opinion and order, Judge Thomas J. Ortbal admitted that the Episcopal Church's case was strong but argued that it was not so unassailable as to justify summary judgment. The legitimacy of a diocese’s leaving The Episcopal Church has yet to be definitively adjudicated in the case of any of the four dioceses that experienced schism three years ago.

Province IV bishops meet with S.C. bishop

According to a December 15, 2011, story by Episcopal News Service,six Province IV bishops meet with Bishop of South Carolina Mark Lawrence December 14 in discussion about Lawrence’s justification for sending quitclaim deeds to parishes of his diocese. (See most recent Pittsburgh Update story here.) In a statement released by all the bishops involved, including Bishop Lawrence, the discussion was characterized as “honest” and “forthright.” The statement included no suggestion that anything was resolved by the meeting.

Trinity Cathedral becomes exclusively Episcopal

On December 15, 2011, the Cathedral Chapter of downtown Trinity Cathedral voted to reassert the provisions of its charter making it once again exclusively an Episcopal cathedral. The Cathedral had been operating under a Special Resolution since 2008, acting as the cathedral both for the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) A letter of explanation from Provost (the Rev. Canon Dr.) Cathy Brall can be found on the Cathedral’s Web site. The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh published a story on the return of the Cathedral to exclusively Episcopal control on December 17. According to that story, “Bishop Price is extending a special invitation to show solidarity and support for the Cathedral by joining him there for his annual Christmas Eve Eucharist.”

On December 19, the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh posted a note about the vote on its Web site. In it, Archbishop Duncan accuses Trinity Cathedral of embracing “exclusivity.”

News for Week Ending 12/12/2011

2011-12-12T23:36:00.001-05:00

Former Nigerian primate supports anti-gay law

Nigeria’s Guardian reported December 10, 2011, that retired Church of Nigeria (Anglican) Archbishop Peter Akinola is supportive of the anti-homosexuality bill that recently passed by the Nigerian Senate. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Akinola urged the House of Representatives to pass the bill and urged President Goodluck Jonathan not to bow to international pressure to veto the bill.

AMiA breaks with Rwanda

The Anglican Mission in the Americas has apparently broken its ties with the Rwandan church that had provided its connection to the Anglican Communion. The church, which began with disaffected Episcopalians sponsored by the Anglican Church of Rwanda, later joined, then withdrew, from the Anglican Church in North America. It is unclear with what church the AMiA will now affiliate. Christianity Today offers a summary of the story, which is still developing.

ENS site revamped

Episcopal News Service has received a Web makeover. It is now part of the Episcopal Digital Network, “an ad-supported media network that delivers news, information, and branded entertainment to church leaders, members, and general audiences.” The Episcopal News Service home page can now be found at http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/. There does not seem to be a link to the new site from the main Episcopal Church Web site. Recent ENS stories seem to have retained their URLs (Web addresses), but the URLs of older stories have changed.

Standing Committee writes hostile letter in anticipation of meeting of bishops in S.C.

VirtueOnline reported December 12, 2011, that the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina wrote a letter to Bishop of East Carolina Clifton Daniel December 9 in anticipation of a December 14 meeting in South Carolina between Bishop of South Carolina Mark Lawrence and Province IV bishops. The bishops had requested a meeting to clarify recent actions in South Carolina, particularly Bishop Lawrence’s issuance of quitclaim deeds to diocesan parishes. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The letter, whose purpose seems to be intimidation, can be read on the VirtueOnline site.

Georgia Takes possession of Savannah church

A December 12, 2011, press release from the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia reported that the diocese has taken possession of historic Christ Church in Savannah. The Georgia Supreme Court ruled that the property is properly controlled by the diocese on November 21, 2011. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The congregation left The Episcopal Church in 2007 for the Ugandan church and attempted to maintain control of the property. According to the press release, the keys to the church were handed over December 12 by Joan Malley, a former administrator at Pittsburgh’s Church of the Ascension.

Roman Catholic Church becomes part of Fort Worth dispute

A church in the breakaway Diocese of Fort Worth (whose property is therefore the subject of litigation) had begun the process of joining the U.S. Ordinariate authorized by the Roman Catholic Church to receive disgruntled Anglicans. (Many of the parishes that broke from The Episcopal Church in Fort Worth were strongly Anglo-Catholic.) Former bishop Jack Iker first scheduled a meeting of the congregation to decide the fate of St. Timothy’s, then suspended the meeting, citing legal prohibitions. The Lead reported on the matter on December 3, 2011. Subsequently, Provisional Bishop C. Wallis Ohl indicated in a statement that the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is flexible on the matter of how the situation of St. Timothy’s is handled. The Lead reported on his statement here.

News for Week Ending 12/5/2011

2011-12-05T23:30:00.000-05:00

Nigerian Senate passes anti-gay bill

CNN reported December 1, 2011, that the Nigerian Senate has passed the anti-homosexual bill introduced earlier this year. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The draconian bill—a conviction for homosexuality could lead to a 14-year prison sentence—must pass the House of Representatives and be signed by the president before it can become law. International pressure is being brought to bear on Nigeria to derail the bill’s passage.

Canterbury lobbies for Covenant in Advent message

Archbishop of Canterbury has taken advantage of his annual Advent letter to the primates to again urge passage of the Anglican Covenant. (The letter can also be read in an Anglican Communion News Service story of November 20, 2011, which offers an overview of the letter.) “I must continue to commend the Covenant as strongly as I can to all who are considering its future,” Williams tells his readers.

In England, another diocese has voted for adoption of the Covenant. The Diocese of Bristol has announced the vote on its Web site. To date, four Church of England dioceses have voted to send the matter to the General Synod for a final vote and four dioceses have voted to reject the Covenant. Twenty-three dioceses must vote in favor of the Covenant for it to be considered by the church’s General Synod.

Abandonment charges not brought against S.C. bishop

Episcopal News Service reported November 28, 2011, that the Disciplinary Board for Bishops has declined to bring a charge of abandoning The Episcopal Church against Bishop of South Carolina Mark Lawrence. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Bishop Dorsey Henderson has released a statement about the Lawrence affair on behalf of the Disciplinary Board.

The recent action by Bishop Lawrence to give quitclaim deeds to parishes was not taken into consideration by the Disciplinary Board. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) On December 4, 2011, however, Bishop of East Carolina Clifton Daniel wrote a letter to Lawrence requesting clarification about the quitclaim deeds and requesting a face-to-face meeting between Lawrence and bishops of District 4.

News for Week Ending 11/28/2011

2011-11-28T08:23:00.002-05:00

Denmark set to establish marriage equality

The Copenhagen Post reported November 23, 2011, that a bill in the Danish parliament could erase the distinction between heterosexual marriage and homosexual unions by next summer. The change will require both a change in law and a new marriage rite for the Folkekirken (the state church or Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark). According to the newspaper, “Gender-neutral marriages have already been introduced in Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Iceland, Spain and Portugal.”

The Lead has pointed out that the Church of England is in full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark since both are signers of the Porvoo Agreement.