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
 
Kenneth Stiles, Second Vice President
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Telephone: +1 (412) 362 2112
E-mail: krstiles@acba.org
 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Group Thanks Episcopal Church Leaders for Clarifying Constitutional Issues
 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — June 17, 2007 —Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh thanks the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church for affirming the long-settled constitutional understanding that dioceses do not have the power or authority to ignore or supersede the canons of The Episcopal Church in favor of diocesan actions. The resolution was one of a number of critical issues that the council dealt with in its four-day session which ended June 14.
 
In November of 2004, the Diocese of Pittsburgh completed adoption of an amendment to its constitution that read “In cases where the provisions of the Constitution and Canons of the Church in the Diocese of Pittsburgh speak to the contrary, or where resolutions of the Convention of said Diocese have determined the Constitution and Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, or resolutions of its General Convention, to be contrary to the historic Faith and Order of the one holy catholic and apostolic church, the local determination shall prevail,” thereby declaring its independence from The Episcopal Church. At both the 2003 and 2004 diocesan conventions, opponents of the constitutional change were unable to convince the majority that the amendment was out of order, contradicted the constitution of The Episcopal Church, and was based on a faulty understanding of the relationship of dioceses to the whole church. Executive Council has now affirmed the minority’s stance as the correct one.
 
The Executive Council resolution specifies that the changes made by the Diocese of Pittsburgh to its constitution and canons are “null and void,” as are similar changes made by three other dioceses (San Joaquin, Quincy, and Fort Worth). In all cases, their constitutions “shall be as they were as if such amendments had not been passed.” Thus, Executive Council has put all dioceses on notice that they cannot alter their relationship to TEC, its constitution, canons, or provincial governance without the express consent of the General Convention.
 
“This resolution offers relief to faithful Episcopalians in this diocese who have been pressured to accept procedures or policies they knew were at odds with Episcopal Church canons,” said Dr. Joan Gundersen, president of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh. “The Council was aware of these pressures. Furthermore, the resolution reminds all of us in Pittsburgh that once a diocese has been recognized by General Convention, there is no unilateral diocesan right of withdrawal from the church.”
 
The resolution comes at a particularly opportune time, as the diocese recently has embarked on a discernment process regarding its future. According to a diocesan press release, one option under consideration is to “attempt to separate as a diocese from The Episcopal Church,” an option clearly incompatible with the required accession to the constitution and canons of the parent church.
 
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh has committed itself to working for unity within The Episcopal Church and to be a welcoming church open to all who wish to remain within its bounds.
 
 
Contacts:
Joan R. Gundersen, President
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Telephone: +1 (412) 799-0440
E-mail: jrgunder@hotmail.com
 
Kenneth Stiles, Second Vice President
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Telephone: +1 (412) 362 2112
E-mail: krstiles@acba.org

On the Web:
This document:

http://progressiveepiscopalians.org/html/2007-06-17thanks.html
 
Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh:
http://progressiveepiscopalians.org
 
Information about debate on Pittsburgh amendment:
http://www.progressiveepiscopalians.org/html/constitutional_ammendments__20.html
 
News story on Resolution NAC-023:
http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=3439
 
Current Diocese of Pittsburgh constitution and canons
http://www.pgh.anglican.org/documents/generaldocs/2004constitutioncanons.pdf
 
The Episcopal Church:
http://episcopalchurch.org
 
Episcopal Church constitution and canons:
http://www.episcopalarchives.org/e-archives/canons/CandC_FINAL_11.29.2006.pdf
 
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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