Pittsburgh leaves TEC, joins Southern Cone

Posted on October 5, 2008 
Filed under News

Bishop Bob Duncan“Deputies to the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh’s 143rd Annual diocesan convention voted by strong margins on October 4 to join the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.

Vote totals on the key constitutional provision that opened the way for the change were as follows. A total of 191 laity voted. 119 voted in favor.  69 voted against, 3 abstained. A total of 160 clergy voted.  121 voted in favor. 33 voted no. 3 abstained. 2 invalid ballots were cast.

‘We deeply value our shared heritage and years of friendship with those still within that denomination, but this diocese could not in good conscience continue down the road away from mainstream Christianity that the leadership of The Episcopal Church is so determined to follow,’ said the Rev. Peter Frank, director of communications for the diocese.

The passage of the vote by the diocesan convention, the diocese’s highest governing authority, means that the entire Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, including all of its congregations and clergy, is now part of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. The diocese expects a small group of 210 clergy and a minority of its 70 parishes to withdraw from the diocese and reorganize under the authority of The Episcopal Church. The diocese is committed to making such decisions of conscience as easy as possible for all those involved. …”

– Press release continued at the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
See also: Diocese Begins Process to Recall Bishop Duncan.