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The choice before the
Diocese of Pittsburgh is between unity or schism. The
items here suggest that unity represents the wiser
choice.
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 |
The Case For
Staying in the Episcopal Church |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Dr. Jim Simons |
| DATE |
6/28/2008 |
| ADDED |
6/29/2008 |
| TYPE |
Blog post |
| FORMAT |
Web page (also available as a PDF) |
| DESCRIPTION |
A list of reasons for not supporting
realignment of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. |
| COMMENT |
Simons is one of the 12 Pittsburgh
clergy who declared earlier in the year that they intended to stay
in The Episcopal Church. (See Letter
to People and Clergy of the The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.)
His essay is particularly addressed to conservatives who might be
thinking of voting in favor of Bishop Duncan’s realignment plan.
While some will disagree with Simon’s analysis, others will find his
case compelling. Some of his strongest
arguments have not been made elsewhere. Those who might want to
distribute this essay may prefer to duplicate a
PDF version of it |
| TITLE |
A Fork in the
Road? |
| AUTHOR |
Walter Bowman |
| DATE |
4/15/2008 (revised 5/23/2008) |
| ADDED |
5/23/2008 |
| TYPE |
Essay |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Bishop Duncan has spoken about the
diocese’s having come to a fork in the road. This essay suggest a
different metaphor and calls for unity, rather than schism. |
| COMMENT |
Bowman is a member of Calvary Church
in Pittsburgh. This essay first appeared in Calvary’s newsletter,
Agape. It appears here with only minor changes. It is both a
statement of what the church has meant to the author and a call to
travel together, rather than apart. |
| TITLE |
Galatians
5.25–6.2: Bearing One Another’s Burdens |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Philip Wainwright |
| DATE |
3/4/2008 |
| ADDED |
3/7/2008 |
| TYPE |
Sermon |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Sermon delivered at a Church of the
Redeemer, Squirrel Hill, Eucharist as part of the Lenten Preaching
Series sponsored by East End parishes |
| COMMENT |
Wainwright is rector of St. Peter’s
Episcopal Church in Brentwood. He is one of 12 Pittsburgh Episcopal
clergy who recently declared in a letter that they intend to stay in
The Episcopal Church. Wainwright addresses the situation where some
in a church have strayed in their beliefs. He argues that Paul does
not advise separation, but gentle encouragement to return to the
right path. |
| TITLE |
Welcome to my
church... |
| AUTHOR |
Various |
| DATE |
Various |
| ADDED |
12/24/2007 |
| TYPE |
Web site |
| FORMAT |
Web pages and PDFs |
| DESCRIPTION |
Collection of newspaper ads promoting
Episcopal churches. |
| COMMENT |
This is a new site featuring
newspaper ads that have appeared in Southwestern Pennsylvania
newspapers recently. Each ad highlights an individual Episcopalian
speaking about what his or her church means to him or her. The site
also includes links for those who want to learn more about The
Episcopal Church. |
| TITLE |
A Letter to the
Diocese from the Rev. Leslie Reimer |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Leslie Reimer |
| DATE |
11/16/2007 |
| ADDED |
11/29/2007 |
| TYPE |
Open letter |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Letter addressed to “People of the
Diocese of Pittsburgh,” reflecting on the recent diocesan
convention. |
| COMMENT |
Reimer is Associate Rector of
Calvary Episcopal Church. Speaking of the “extreme theological
position” espoused by the diocese and the “extreme decisions” taken
by the diocesan convention, she urges the people of the diocese to
“step back from the edge.” |
| TITLE |
If Only I’d Been
Born |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Tony Clavier |
| DATE |
10/11/2007 |
| ADDED |
10/14/2007 |
| TYPE |
Lecture script |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
Address given to the Clergy
Association of Pittsburgh |
| COMMENT |
Clavier discusses characteristics of
Anglicanism and points out that the conflict being experienced now
in Anglicanism is neither unique nor a proper justification for
schism. This is a wonderful talk, but the script has not really been
edited for publication. Formatting of this document has been cleaned
up, but no attempt has been made to do the same for punctuation, and
a word or two may have been omitted. The reader will be rewarded for
exercising a degree of what the author would call Anglican patience. |
| TITLE |
United in Mission |
| AUTHOR |
The Rt. Rev. C. Christopher Epting |
| DATE |
8/26/2007 |
| ADDED |
9/1/2007 |
| TYPE |
Essay |
| FORMAT |
Web page |
| DESCRIPTION |
Epting, citing early disagreements
between Apostles Peter and Paul, points out that disagreements
within the Church are neither new nor unusual. Citing the prayer
book’s Catechism, he asserts that the
essential mission
of the Church is “to
restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” |
| COMMENT |
Epting, Deputy for Ecumenical and
Interfaith Relations for The Episcopal Church, wrote this as a
“Reader’s Viewpoint” column for
the 8/26/2007 issue of The Living Church. He says: “If we
spent more time and energy doing that [reconciling people to God and
to one another], and less time and energy unchurching one another
because we disagree about some things in today’s world, we would be
carrying out the mission of the Church, and would be a lot more
pleasing to our God than we must sometimes be today.” |
| TITLE |
Resignation from
the ACN |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner |
| DATE |
7/31/2007 |
| ADDED |
8/28/2007 |
| TYPE |
Personal statement |
| FORMAT |
Web page |
| DESCRIPTION |
Radner, a Fellow of the Anglican
Communion Institute, explains why he is resigning from the Anglican
Communion Newtwork |
| COMMENT |
Radner, who, according to the
statement, “assisted in” the founding of the ACN, He writes: “The
recent statements by the Moderator of the Network, Robert Duncan,
however, so contradict my sense of calling within this part of
Christ’s Body, the Anglican Communion, that I have no choice but to
disassociate myself from this group, whom I had once hoped might
prove an instrument of renewal, not of destruction, of building up,
not of tearing down.” Radner is perhaps not typical of the
supporters of the ACN, but he has written many scholarly,
well-respected articles and books on the state of the church. |
| TITLE |
Things She Just
Said: Quotable Quotes from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts
Schori |
| AUTHOR |
Church of the Redeemer, Squirrel
Hill |
| DATE |
6/19/2007 |
| ADDED |
8/24/2007 |
| TYPE |
Flyer |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
This is a 2-page compilation of
quotations from the new Presiding Bishop. Sources for the quotations
are given in footnotes. |
| COMMENT |
This document was prepared for and
distributed at several district meetings. Some have questioned
Katharine Jefferts Schori’s theology. This document should be
reassuring. |
| TITLE |
We Are One
Family: There IS Room at the Table for Us All |
| AUTHOR |
Church of the Redeemer, Squirrel
Hill |
| DATE |
6/19/2007 |
| ADDED |
8/24/2007 |
| TYPE |
Flyer |
| FORMAT |
PDF |
| DESCRIPTION |
This is a 2-page compilation of
excerpts from the prayer book on the subject of unity. |
| COMMENT |
This document was prepared for and
distributed at several district meetings. |
| TITLE |
THE MODERATION OF
ANGLICANISM as amended!! |
| AUTHOR |
The Rev. Tony Clavier |
| DATE |
7/15/2006 |
| ADDED |
8/27/2007 |
| TYPE |
Blog post |
| FORMAT |
Web page |
| DESCRIPTION |
A vision of the Anglican via
media |
| COMMENT |
Anglicanism, according to Clavier,
is not properly described as a collection of parties, and the middle
way of Anglicanism is not itself represented by a party. Anglican,
according to this essay is not about movements at all, but
about community. |
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