Deputies of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh’s 139th Annual Convention overwhelmingly approved Constitutional Amendment 1 on November 5. The amendment gives the diocese the constitutional foundation needed to differ with the national church when the diocesan convention determines the national body’s decisions “to be contrary to the historic faith and order of the one holy catholic and apostolic church.” In those cases, the amended constitution makes clear that “the local determination shall prevail.”
To be approved, the resolution had to be passed by majorities of both clergy and lay delegates. Among clergy, 79 voted in favor, 14 against, and 8 abstained. Lay delegates also passed the constitutional amendment by a lopsided margin, with 124 in favor, 45 against and 3 abstentions.
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan welcomed the passage of the amendment. “This amendment allows us to continue in full relationship with the whole Anglican Communion, affirms our stand as a diocese for the historic faith and order of our church and confirms the actions we took as a diocese last fall to distance ourselves from our national church’s recent theological innovations,” said Bishop Duncan.
Bishop Duncan went on to say that he hoped the constitutional provision to differ with the national church on theological matters would be little-used. “It gives us no joy to be forced to choose between mainstream Christianity and some of our own church's teachings. We pray that the Episcopal Church would heed the call of much of the worldwide Christian community and vast majority of our own Anglican Communion to turn back and repent.”
With the successful passage of this amendment, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh becomes the second Episcopal diocese to allow a local judgment on theological matters. The first diocese, Fort Worth, passed a similar measure in 1997. A third diocese, San Joaquin, successfully approved the first reading of a similar amendment this October.