Pittsburgh's
bishop could face discipline if he continues to support
efforts to split his diocese from the Episcopal Church, the
presiding bishop of the national church warned in a
letter.
Representatives
of the Pittsburgh diocese are set to vote Friday during
their annual convention in Johnstown, Pa., on
constitutional amendments that would start the process
of splitting from the national church.
Pittsburgh bishop
Robert Duncan is among the leaders of a conservative
U.S. movement that believes the Episcopal Church is
abandoning the primary authority of Scripture, with
biblical teachings on sexuality being the flash point
of the debate.
The rift between
conservatives and the Episcopal Church, the Anglican
body in the U.S., has widened since the denomination
consecrated New Hampshire bishop V. Gene Robinson, who
is openly gay, in 2003.
Duncan would not
comment on Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's letter,
which was dated Wednesday, until he addresses the
convention, a diocese spokesman said.
''I will say
that, to us, it appears to be an attempt to intimidate our
convention,'' spokesman Peter Frank said.
If given
preliminary approval, Pittsburgh's secession measures would
have to be passed at the next convention in November
2008 to become binding, Frank said.
Jefferts Schori's
letter does not specify what discipline Duncan could
face but warns: ''If your course does not change, I shall
regrettably be compelled to see that appropriate
canonical steps are promptly taken to consider whether
you have abandoned the Communion of this Church...and
whether you have committed canonical offenses that warrant
disciplinary action.''
Duncan could
ultimately be ''deposed from office and declared to have
abandoned communion with the Episcopal church,'' Frank said.
A majority of the
77 million-member Anglican Communion, a loose-knit
worldwide coalition of churches that align themselves with
the Church of England, hold traditional views that
homosexuality is condemned by Scripture, while a
majority in the Episcopal Church do not.
Pittsburgh is one
of at least four Episcopal dioceses out of 110 -- along
with Fort Worth, Texas; Quincy, Ill.; and San Joaquin,
Calif. -- that are taking steps to break away from the
national church and align with an overseas Anglican
leader.
The Fort Worth
diocese will meet November 16-17 for a preliminary
vote on measures similar to those weighed at the
Pittsburgh convention.
San Joaquin gave
preliminary approval to similar measures in December,
and they would become binding if they are approved at its
diocesan convention next month.
Quincy
representatives last month gave preliminary approval to two
amendments that ''would allow our diocese to realign and
affiliate with a different province of the Anglican
communion,'' said the Reverend John Spencer, spokesman
for the Quincy diocese. Those measures won't become
binding unless the diocese approves them again at another
synod, which has not been scheduled, Spencer said.
(Joe Mandak, AP)
