People in the Diocese of Pittsburgh who are considering leaving The Episcopal Church might be surprised to learn that large numbers of Pittsburgh Episcopalians are happy to be staying. Some of us are very pleased by what our General Convention has done in recent years. Some of us will stay despite those same actions. Most of us feel nourished in our parish communities through common prayer, fellowship, and participation in the Church’s mission. On this site, we offer information relevant to our present diocesan situation from the perspective of The Episcopal Church as a sustaining home in Christian faith. We are not ashamed to proclaim the Gospel, and we are not ashamed to be Episcopalians.
 

Click on a category below to view available material in that category. New categories will be flagged as they are added, and categories that have been updated will be so marked.

NOTE: Readers unfamiliar with many of the recurring terms encountered here, may want first to look at “Questions on the Current Controversy Facing The Episcopal Church,” under General.
  

Much of the argument against what Bishop Duncan and his supporters call realignment has come from the liberal side of the aisle. A prominent conservative Episcopal priest and member of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has now offered the conservative case for voting to stay in The Episcopal Church. The Rev. Dr. Jim Simons, rector of St. Michael’s in the Valley, Ligonier, posted “The Case for Staying in the Episcopal Church” on his new blog, Three Rivers Episcopal, on June 28, 2008

Conservatives considering supporting Bishop Duncan’s plan are really the target audience of the piece, and Simons makes a strong case from a conservative point of view. Much of what he says is hard to argue with from any perspective, and the author offers some considerations that have not been articulated by others.

“The Case for Staying in the Episcopal Church” can be found in the Unity category here. The essay on Simons’ Web site can be read here. For the convenience of those who might want to duplicate and distribute the essay (or those who just want a more attractive version for their own reading), a PDF version is available here.

Read about all the documents that have been featured on this page by clicking here.

We invite you to send feedback about A Pittsburgh Episcopal Voice or to suggest additional materials for inclusion here. Click below to send us your thoughts and suggestions.