From Episcopal News Service:
The Episcopal Church's Title IV Review Committee has certified that Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan has abandoned the communion of the church.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori informed Duncan on January 15 of the certification and sent him a copy.
Her letter told Duncan that she sought the canonically required permission from the House's three senior bishops with jurisdiction to inhibit him, based on the certification, from the performance of any episcopal, ministerial or canonical acts.
"On 11 January 2008 they informed me that such consents would not be given at this time by all three bishops," Jefferts Schori wrote.
Unlike Bp. Schofield of San Joaquin, he will be free to exercise his ministry in both spiritual and temporal affairs, because the three senior bishops did not vote to inhibit him. He will have a period of 60 days to recant, or to prove the charges against him false, or to renounce his orders.
What a sorry, sorry time for this church of ours. Bishop Duncan has been castigating the Episcopal church and threatening to leave for quite a long time. This action by Presiding Bishop Jefferts-Schori was entirely to be expected. No one should be surprised.
I offer prayers for all the members of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, those who want to remain and those who want to leave the Episcopal Church, hoping beyond hope that this situation may have a peaceful resolution.
Are his eyebrows inhibited too?
ReplyDeleteKJ, read the post, love. He is not inhibited. I suppose that means the eyebrows are still working away, too.
ReplyDeleteI understand the task facing the bishops who must judge their peers to have left the Church; I do not want anyone as bishop who will make such decisions without considerable inner tension.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, how much proof is required that Duncan and Iker did this years ago? I respect Bishop Katharine's need, given the character of this Cantaur, to make an irrefutable case, which, IMRVHO, she has been doing all along.
So, there's no grace in cutting a person's throat slowly: do it.
That being said, how much proof is required that Duncan and Iker did this years ago?
ReplyDeleteHow much, indeed, Johnieb? But I believe Bp. Katharine has to do this one by the book, following the rules exactly, and that she has to be seen to do so. Truly, I think she's doing the very best she can. It seems slow and dragged out to us, but she cannot do this on her own. She is not our pope. She has to bring the other bishops along with her.