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Never have questions
of church governance seemed so important in the life of
The Episcopal Church. How the church is organized and
the details of the church’s constitution and canons, as
well as the constitution and canons of individual
dioceses, have never seemed so important to the future
life of the church. The documents below touch on issues
of church polity and what they mean in the context of
the current conflicts within the church.
Note: Recently added items are
marked “New.” Use “Next” and “Previous” links to move
easily between entries. To view a document, click on
“View.”
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| TITLE |
A Response to
Mark McCall’s “Is The Episcopal Church Hierarchical?” |
| AUTHOR |
Joan Gundersen |
| DATE |
9/18/2008 |
| ADDED |
9/18/2008 |
| TYPE |
Essay |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Gundersen analyzes a paper by Mark
McCall, published by the Anglican Communion Institute, that asserts
that dioceses are free to leave The Episcopal Church. |
| COMMENT |
McCall’s “Is The Episcopal Church
Hierarchical?” comes to the surprising conclusion that, in a real
sense, the church is not hierarchical. Gundersen, in another
scholarly effort, shows that McCall’s essay “simply will not stand
scrutiny.” Gundersen is clearly in greater command of relevant facts
than McCall. |
| TITLE |
Realignment: The
Unvarnished Truth |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Dr. Harold T. Lewis |
| DATE |
5/18/2008 |
| ADDED |
5/19/2008 |
| TYPE |
Essay |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Like the document below, this essay
is a response to what the diocese has published regarding
realignment. |
| COMMENT |
This essay appeared in the rector’s
regular column in the Calvary Church (Pittsburgh) newsletter. The
approach is much like that in “Realignment Reconsidered” below. Dr.
Lewis does not address all the questions from the diocese, but he is
outspoken about those he does answer. |
| TITLE |
Realignment
Reconsidered |
| AUTHOR |
Progressive Episcopalians of
Pittsburgh |
| DATE |
5/18/2008 |
| ADDED |
5/19/2008 |
| TYPE |
Q&A document |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
In this document, Progressive
Episcopalians of Pittsburgh offers its own answers to those provided
to 30 questions by the Diocese of Pittsburgh in “Frequently
Asked Questions About Realignment.” |
| COMMENT |
On April 22, in support of its plan
to remove the Diocese of Pittsburgh from The Episcopal Church, the
diocese released an 8-page document of questions and answers about
the upcoming realignment vote. “Realignment Reconsidered” reproduces
this document, with PEP’s own very different answers juxtaposed to
those of the diocese. The contrast between sides of the realignment
issue could not be more sharply drawn. |
| TITLE |
Presiding Bishop
reaches out to bishops attempting to withdraw dioceses |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Jan Nunley (Episcopal News
Service) |
| DATE |
10/31/2007 |
| ADDED |
11/1/2007 |
| TYPE |
News story |
| FORMAT |
Web page |
| DESCRIPTION |
A rather long story on canonical and
legal issues. For Episcopalians in Pittsburgh, what is most
interesting is a letter from the Presiding Bishop to Bishop Duncan
warning of the consequences of moving forward with the changes
proposed for the convention that begins 11/2/2007. |
| COMMENT |
This story can only be described as
dramatic. The “reaching out” in the headline refers to the Presiding
Bishop’s reiterating her offer of an Episcopal Visitor for
Pittsburgh and similarly situated dioceses. Coming as it did just
two days before Pittsburgh’s annual convention convenes, however,
the not-very-subtle message from Bishop Katharine is that Bishop
Duncan should drop his planned constitutional changes or face
disciplinary action by The Episcopal Church. The 142nd Annual
Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh just got more
interesting. |
| TITLE |
Clarification of
Constitutional & Canonical Changes |
| AUTHOR |
Lionel Deimel (for Progressive
Episcopalians of Pittsburgh) |
| DATE |
10/18/2007 |
| ADDED |
10/19/2007 |
| TYPE |
Briefing paper |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Listing of changes proposed by
Committee and Chancellor, showing exactly what is retained, changed,
or deleted |
| COMMENT |
The reports by the
Committee and Chancellor show, for each
proposed change, the current wording, followed by the proposed
wording. In many cases, the change proposed involves only one or two
words, and this format makes it difficult to see that. The PEP
document, using red type, underlining, strikeouts, and change bars,
clarifies, without comment, exactly what is being proposed. Minor
revisions have been made to this document since it was first posted.
The latest revision is dated 10/27/2007.
Since 2003, PEP has prepared a series of
briefing papers relating to the business at each diocesan
convention. This is the first of several to appear relating to the
2007 annual convention. PEP briefing papers, along with diocesan
documents, can be found on the PEP Web site
here. |
| TITLE |
Addenda to the
Report of the Committee on Constitutions [sic] and Canons As
Recommended by the Chancellor for Adoption at the 142nd Annual
Convention |
| AUTHOR |
Robert Devlin |
| DATE |
n.d. |
| ADDED |
10/19/2007 |
| TYPE |
Proposed changes to diocesan canons
and rules of order |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Changes, in addition to those
proposed by the Committee here, to canons and
rules of order of the Diocese of Pittsburgh convention |
| COMMENT |
The general thrust of these
additional proposals is to eliminate references to The Episcopal
Church. Bishop Duncan has announced that, where the Committee and
Chancellor have proposed changing the same rules, only the
Chancellor’s proposal will be considered. |
| TITLE |
Bishop Robert
Duncan’s pre-convention report |
| AUTHOR |
Bishop Robert Duncan |
| DATE |
9/11/2007 |
| ADDED |
9/21/2007 |
| TYPE |
Letter |
| FORMAT |
PDF (Web page version available
here) |
| DESCRIPTION |
Letter addressed to the “clergy and
lay leaders of the Diocese of Pittsburgh” |
| COMMENT |
This letter treats a number of
topics, including the upcoming “250th anniversary of Anglican
presence” in Pittsburgh and the mounting costs to the diocese of
defending diocesan leaders in the Calvary lawsuit. The bishop also
advocates for constitutional amendments (see below)
that “would begin the process to exercise our right to end the
accession of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to the constitution
and canons of The Episcopal Church.” |
| TITLE |
Proposed
Constitutional Amendments |
| AUTHOR |
Anonymous |
| DATE |
9/11/2007 |
| ADDED |
9/21/2007 |
| TYPE |
Proposed amendments to diocesan
constitution |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Constitutional amendments to
diocesan constitution advocated by Bishop Duncan |
| COMMENT |
The set of five constitutional
amendments and one canonical addition was proposed by Bishop Duncan
at the 9/11/2007 Diocesan Council meeting. The admitted intent of
the proposals (see Bishop Duncan's pre-convention report) is to
allow the entire diocese to be removed from The Episcopal Church. It
is doubtful that any objective observer would call the proposed
changes permissible.
For purposes of the diocesan convention, this is now being called
Resolution One. |
| TITLE |
Resolution to
Restore Article I Section I of the Diocesan Constitution and
Canons to its Historic Form |
| AUTHOR |
Mary Roehrich, et al. |
| DATE |
9/11/2007 |
| ADDED |
9/21/2007 |
| TYPE |
Proposed amendment to diocesan
constitution |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Amendment to restore accession
clause to Diocese of Pittsburgh constitution |
| COMMENT |
At the same Diocesan Council
meeting at which Bishop Duncan revealed his audacious plan to
remove the diocese from The Episcopal Church, this amendment was
introduced by Episcopal Church supporters who would have the
diocese pursue the option that diocesan leaders no longer talk
about. This option was originally characterized as “submitting
to The Episcopal Church.” The amendment would return the
diocesan constitution to its pre-2004 condition.
For purposes of the diocesan convention, this is now being
called Resolution Two. |
| TITLE |
Changes to
Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh as
recommended by the Committee on Constitution and Canons |
| AUTHOR |
Committee on Constitution and Canons |
| DATE |
Undated, but presented to Diocesan
Council on 9/11/2007 |
| ADDED |
9/21/2007 |
| TYPE |
Proposed changes to constitution and
canons of the diocese |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Proposed changes based on a
committee review of the entire constitution and body of canons of
the diocese |
| COMMENT |
Although many of the proposed
changes are innocuous, others tend to make the diocese less
democratic. Certain changes anticipate a diocese tied less closely
(if at all) to The Episcopal Church. |
| TITLE |
Executive Council
puts disaffected dioceses on notice about constitutional changes |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg
(Episcopal News Service) |
| DATE |
6/14/2007 |
| ADDED |
8/28/2007 |
| TYPE |
News story |
| FORMAT |
Web page |
| DESCRIPTION |
Report from meeting of The Episcopal
Church’s Executive Council meeting, describing Resolution NAC023,
which warns that changes made to several diocesan constitutions
(including Pittsburgh’s) are improper. (The story also treats other
matters.) |
| COMMENT |
The Diocese of Fort Worth changed
its constitution a number of years ago, in an attempt to put the
constitution of the diocese above that of The Episcopal Church.
Pittsburgh, San Joaquin, and Quincy have made similar changes. The
changes have been widely regarded as unlawful (and, therefore, of no
effect) by most neutral observers, but no action has been taken
against the dioceses or their leaders. Apparently, the wording,
which named specific dioceses, was the subject of much discussion.
As one member of the Council is quoted in the story, however,
“General Convention had agreed about how to ‘order our common life’
through its Constitution and Canons, and that the specific dioceses’
actions have been ‘injurious to our common life.’” |
| TITLE |
Unqualified
Accession |
| AUTHOR |
Lionel Deimel |
| DATE |
11/25/2006 |
| ADDED |
8/24/2007 |
| TYPE |
Blog post |
| FORMAT |
Web page |
| DESCRIPTION |
Deimel argues that changes made
to their constitutions by dioceses such as Pittsburgh are unlawful,
and therefore null and void. |
| COMMENT |
The
church’s Executive Council apparently came to much the same
conclusion as Deimel. (See ENS story above.) |
 |
| TITLE |
An Appraisal of
the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s “Withdrawal” of Consent to Inclusion in
Province III |
| AUTHOR |
Lionel Deimel |
| DATE |
7/17/2006 |
| ADDED |
8/24/2007 |
| TYPE |
Report |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
This report, written shortly after
the Diocese of Pittsburgh announced its intent to withdraw from
Province III, analyzes the legitimacy of taking such an action.
Deimel explains the context in which this document was released in a
posting on his Web site called “What Has the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Done This Time?” which is available
here. After the annual convention endorsed the call to withdraw
from Province III, Deimel wrote “More Thoughts on Provinces in The
Episcopal Church,” which can be found
here. |
| COMMENT |
The report argues that the proposed
action is neither lawful nor supported by the precedent cited by the
diocese. |
|
|
 |
| TITLE |
History
Revisited: Historical Background of the Proposed Amendment to
Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Episcopal Diocese of
Pittsburgh |
| AUTHOR |
Joan Gundersen |
| DATE |
10/13/2004 |
| ADDED |
8/24/2007 |
| TYPE |
Essay |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Gundersen argues that The
Episcopal Church is not a federation of dioceses and that the
accession of dioceses to the constitution and canons of The
Episcopal Church is absolute. |
| COMMENT |
This heavily annotated essay was in
response to an opinion by diocesan chancellor Robert Devlin
(available
here) that the Diocese of Pittsburgh could change its accession
clause in its constitution. |
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