PROGRESSIVE EPISCOPALIANS OF PITTSBURGH
4530 William Penn Highway #109
Murrysville, PA 15668

 
Contacts:
Joan R. Gundersen, President
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Telephone: +1 (412) 799-0440
E-mail: jrgunder@hotmail.com
 
Christopher I. Wilkins, Vice President
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Telephone: +1 (412) 831-1737
E-mail: ciwilkins@juno.com
 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Pittsburgh Episcopalians Say Anglican Leaders Left Many Questions Unanswered
 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — February 20, 2007 — “The Anglican Primates’ latest Communiqué and the accompanying ‘Schedule’ demonstrate that a majority of Anglican Communion leaders are unwilling to be complicit in the dismemberment of the Anglican Communion or The Episcopal Church. Their statement and recommendations for backing away from the abyss of schism leave Episcopalians with many unanswered questions and concerns, however,” explained Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP) president Joan Gundersen. The primates worked well past the scheduled end of their meeting in Tanzania and long into the night to hammer out a statement on their deliberations.
 
The resulting seven-page Communiqué, accompanied by four pages of “Key Recommendations,” announced neither the expulsion of 218-year-old Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion nor the establishment of a parallel church for the small but vocal party within The Episcopal Church (TEC) prominently represented by the Rt. Rev. Robert W. Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh. A draft for discussion of a proposed Anglican covenant, prepared in January by a group named by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams had been released earlier in the week. The primates suggested that adoption of a covenant would provide a long-term solution to the problem of how the Anglican Communion should handle internal disagreements.
 
The majority of primates were very clear that dissidents need to reconcile with The Episcopal Church, that there is one province of the Communion in the regions ministered to by The Episcopal Church, and that intervention by other primates in The Episcopal Church dioceses must cease. Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori not only was recognized as the duly elected primate of The Episcopal Church, but she also was elected as a regional representative to serve on the influential Primates’ Standing Committee.
 
Although the leaders fully acknowledged the serious attention that the June 2006 General Convention of The Episcopal Church had paid to Windsor Report recommendations, the primates also asked for clarification of some of those actions, and assurances that The Episcopal Church will neither bless same-sex unions nor elect another bishop who lives in a committed same-sex relationship until the consensus in the Anglican Communion changes. The single-minded focus on The Episcopal Church is strange, given that other autonomous churches of the Anglican Communion are dealing with passage of civil laws recognizing single-sex civil unions.
 
The emphasis on healing and reconciliation led the primates to suggest a detailed “Schedule” for a plan forward. This plan raises many concerns and questions. Although all actions are to be taken in consultation with The Episcopal Church and our Presiding Bishop, the creation of a Pastoral Committee of five and the selection of a Primatial Vicar to work with those dioceses and parishes unwilling to work directly with their own bishops and Presiding Bishops is problematic.
 
“While directing clearly that there be no further action to remove property from The Episcopal Church, the primates cannot reasonably expect that the legal questions raised by divisions that have already occurred will go away,” noted Gundersen. She continued, “Who will begin the healing of the wounds caused by those who have encouraged withdrawal from institutions of The Episcopal Church? In every diocese that is a likely candidate for oversight by a Primatial Vicar, there are many faithful Episcopalians (such as PEP members) who want to be in direct relationship with the institutions and Presiding Bishop of our church. Who is caring for their needs?”
 
PEP will have more to say about the meeting of the primates after careful study of the documents released in Tanzania and after the church hears more from Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori.
 
 
 
Contacts:
Joan R. Gundersen, President
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Telephone: +1 (412) 799-0440
E-mail: jrgunder@hotmail.com
 
Christopher I. Wilkins, Vice President
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Telephone: +1 (412) 831-1737

E-mail: ciwilkins@juno.com
 
 
On the Web:
This document:
http://progressiveepiscopalians.org/html/2007-02-20questions.html
 
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh:
http://progressiveepiscopalians.org
 
Primates’ Meeting Communiqué:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/42/50/acns4253.cfm
 
Report of the Covenant Design Group:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/42/50/acns4252.cfm
 
The Episcopal Church:
http://episcopalchurch.org
 
 
 
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh is an organization of clergy and laypeople committed to the unity and diversity of The Episcopal Church, and of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. It is a member of the Via Media USA alliance.
 

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