Bishop threatens ouster over suit

The two churches say they will press on with the lawsuit.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The head of Pittsburgh's Episcopal Diocese has threatened to call for the ouster of two churches if they don't drop a lawsuit seeking to block parishes from taking control over their property and buildings if they break away from the national church.
Near the end of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh's two-day convention Saturday, Bishop Robert Duncan said he may suggest at a future convention that the diocese consider breaking ties with the two churches.
"Congregations suing the leadership of the diocese is an egregious break in church order," Bishop Duncan said.
The two churches -- Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in suburban Wilkinsburg -- sued Bishop Duncan and other church leaders last year after Bishop Duncan introduced a resolution that called for local control of property and buildings in response to the consecration of a gay bishop in New Hampshire.
Bishop Duncan, who opposes the consecration of gays, later withdrew the resolution, but the two churches have said they want it declared illegal. The churches also claimed that allowing local churches, rather than the Episcopal Church USA, to control the property would harm the diocese and flout church law.
Convention
During remarks on the first day of the convention, Bishop Duncan asked the two churches to drop the lawsuit. They refused, said the Rev. Douglas McGlynn, the president of a standing committee that advises Bishop Duncan and approved the warning.
"No one wants this to happen," the Rev. Mr. McGlynn said. "This doesn't mean that it won't, but no one wants it to happen."
Bishop Duncan called the ousters a "last resort" to hold together the diocese, which has been divided since the consecration of openly gay Bishop V. Gene Robinson in New Hampshire. "They have a perfect right to sue us ... but actions have consequences," Duncan said.
The two churches said they would press on, confident the national church would overturn the expulsions.
"We will not withdraw the suit," said the Rev. Harold Lewis, rector of Calvary Episcopal Church. "First of all, we believe that we filed the lawsuit to protect the diocese. ... We are trying to help the church adhere to its own canonical laws, and that is not an impeachable offense."
The Rev. Diane Shepard, rector of St. Stephen's, said she was "distressed for the well-being of the diocese."
Lionel Deimel, head of the Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh, called Duncan's announcement "very disturbing, mean-spirited and vindictive." Deimel said the group would try to enlist other churches to support the two.
"They are stepping on these two churches with a very big boot," Deimel said.
Amendment
Talk of the ousters came a day after the diocese overwhelmingly approved an amendment to its constitution allowing the diocese to disregard national church teachings that it disagrees with, namely the consecration of homosexuals.
After the consecration, Bishop Duncan helped form the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes. Bishop Duncan and others say the network will fight for biblical teachings within the national church framework. The Episcopal Diocese of Dallas last month became the ninth to join.
Last month, a 17-member worldwide Anglican commission unanimously told the American church to stop promoting to bishop any people in same-gender unions "until some new consensus" emerges.
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