Pittsburgh Episcopalians leave U.S. church

One of the most significant events that led to this point is the approval process of the orthodox Bp Lawrence in South Carolina. In 2003, the liberals stated New Hampshire had spoken and that the national church couldn't or shoulden't overrule that. Yet last year, the diocese of SC overwhelmingly voted for Bp Lawrence and the national church rejected him for ideological reasons. The diocese simply voted for him again. The national church acquiesced, but it was then clear that this would be the last orthodox bishop allowed. The departing dioceses all understand this.

The folly of the "deposition" of Bp Duncan two weeks ago is flabbergasting. What a bonehead move by the ecclesiastical cabal headed by Ms Schori and her lawyer Mr Beers.

Good riddance to rightwing anti-gay extremists. Finally, they are gone.

Since Ms.Schori isn't a legitimate Bishop in the first place, it's not like the diocese is violating their consciences in rejecting an illegitimate leadership.

HMMMMMM
We are talking about Christians and Christians are talking here, right?

I salute the courage and vitality exhibited by Bishop Robert Duncan and the leadership of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, as they make this bold move to stay within the stream of biblical faith, and faithful to the values of the Anglican Communion. The Southern Cone will be an excellent fit for this Diocese, and I believe that the partnership will be mutually very satisfying.
I personally don't think there is a need to bash anyone on either side of the aisle. It is time to simply keep focused on what God has given us all to do.

As a gay Catholic I understand their position . I think gay relashionships are wonderful. My husband loves me and we adopted 2 boys from Gaza. I hope people will realise that gays make great Christians.

I also applaud the Diocese in their decision to split from the U.S. Episcopal Church. Although it was not mentioned in this story, I read that there was also a key difference over salvation. More specifically, that Jesus' death was not the only means for salvation.

I'm encouraged to see the Diocese take a stand for what the Bible teaches to be true.

How funny that your article states that the Pittsburgh diocese was "dominated by critics of the liberal direction". You could more accurately have said that the overwhelming majority of the laity and clergy decided to vote their conscience and leave a heretical Episcopal Church, despite the threat to their property, pensions, livelihood and reputation. You might have inquired into their motives. You would have found that they are simply following Jesus. The Bible, the inerrant authority on life, love and holiness, reveals that Jesus is the firm friend of homosexuals, but not of homosexuality. Jesus is not a nice guy, but the Savior and the living God. Those who love Him, obey Him.

Desipte the many attempts to make this a referendum of a position on gay relationships, the issue is the departure from many orthodox christian beliefs by Schiori and the TEC. Most disturbing is her refusal to acknowledge Jesus Christ as our savior and the only path to reconciliation with the Father. No christian, regardless of sexual preference, should gain pastoral oversight from one who does not subscribe to the even the most basic tenets of the religion.

Ms. Schori and the episcopal church, have simply suspended Christianity in the rooms they occupy.

There is no church outside the Word of God.

1. A church is primarily a community of people. Period. Think about the word communion.

2. As usual, the troglodytes think that traditional teaching and what they call the WORD OF GOD is the same thing. It is not, and never was, Sometines there is overlap, sometimes they are at odds, Fundamentalist Muslims, fundamentalists of all stripes have the very same problem.

3. The Anglican Communion as a whole, and the Episcopal Church U.S.A. define themselves as a "middle way". What part of that does the diocese of Pittsburgh not get?

4. Jesus (remember him?) taught that all peoplea re our neighbors, that all peopele are to be loved. (........love your neighbor AS YOURSELF....) It can at times be difficult to live that MOST IMPORTANT of ALL HIS TEACHINGS, but why is it so difficult to understand and at least try to honor it, rather than purposely turn our backs on it? If clergy and Bishops lead a whole diocese away from this teaching, what does it say......?

5. To claim that Christian scripture ( and I believe Jewish Scripture also, but I haven't read it all) condemns someone for being gay and then actually living the life they were given to live is to either misread one or two tiny fragments of stuff written by people other than Jesus, or to beleive that God commands us to not eat shellfish or sit on a chair recently vacated by a menstruating woman., or to simply be either ignorant or dishonest. It just ain't there folks, and never was

6. To think that human understanding of scripture shouldn't grow and evolve as humanity grows and evolves is preposterous. The idea that we know everything is arrogance, to think that we can't continue to learn and grow is the opposite thing, some illegitimate combination of lack of respect fo oneself and humanity and laziness.

It's time to open our minds as Jesus tried very hard to get us to do, and grow up and accept, respect and love people AS WE ARE. Any thing less is a failure to live up to the teachings of the man Christians after whom have named themselves.

Jesus told the sinful woman who had repented from her sin that she was forgiven. But Jesus also told her "to go and sin no more." The tension with being a practicing homosexual is that it involves a person in sexual activity that the people of God, following the overwhelming teaching of Scripture, have recognized as being out of step with God's creative purposes in nature. One can pontificate that this teaching does not exist either in Scripture, but the fact is that most Christians, despite radically different cultures and ages have recognized homosexual activity to be against God's moral law. Let's face it: those who want to continue to act out homosexual activity and conceptualize themselves as true disciples of Jesus, can go ahead and do so. But the worldwide church in general rejects this as being completely out of step with the Bible. You can rant and rave, but this tension is going to end with both sides going separate ways.