"It's inappropriate for Christians to be suing Christians," Duncan said in an interview, adding that the lawsuit is "costing a tremendous amount of money on both sides."

In a written statement, Duncan said that by failing to utilize disciplinary measures at its disposal, the Episcopal Church has "become a family terribly out of order."

"We are not going to become that in this diocese," he said.

In a statement last night, the two churches expressed confidence that any expulsion from the diocese would not be upheld by the national church or the court.

Calvary filed the suit, which St. Stephen's later joined, against Duncan and other church leaders in October 2003, one month after the bishop introduced a resolution at a special convention that would have given congregations breaking away from the Episcopal church control over their property and buildings. The plaintiffs alleged that allowing those property transfers would be detrimental to the diocese and the church and contrary to church law.

Officials for the Pittsburgh diocese, one of the Episcopal Church's most conservative, developed the resolution in response to the Episcopal Church USA's tacit approval of same-sex blessings and its confirmation of an openly gay priest as bishop of New Hampshire.

Duncan is moderator of the Anglican Communion Network of dioceses and parishes, which adheres to traditional interpretation of the Bible.

In his remarks on the first day of the conference, Duncan appealed to the two churches to drop the suit. He said he made his decision regarding the two parishes with the approval of a standing committee that advises him.

Yesterday's announcement was made after leaders of the two churches were approached and refused to drop the litigation, said the Rev. Douglas McGlynn, the committee's president.

"No one wants this to happen," McGlynn said of excluding the two parishes from the diocese. "This doesn't mean that it won't, but no one wants it to happen."

Lionel Deimel, president of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh, a local group that advocates a more inclusive and unified church, called the announcement "very disturbing, mean-spirited and vindictive." He said his group would work to enlist support for the two churches from local congregations and national church leaders.

In other action yesterday, convention delegates tabled a resolution stating that the diocese "recognizes it is a constituent and inseparable part of the Episcopal Church" and that it accepts that it is "bound by, and will operate according to, the constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church."

A day earlier, the delegates had overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that allows the local diocese to ignore national church laws it believes are contrary to Scripture.

In their statement, the two churches called that action "the ultimate irony" at a convention where they were threatened with expulsion for "attempting to require respect for the laws" of the national church and the state.

Delegates also tabled yesterday a proposal commending women clergy and committing to spreading the benefits of women's ministry to "those who have not yet experienced the grace and gifts brought to the Church by women priests."

"Bishop Duncan has actively encouraged women's involvement in lay and ordained ministry for many years," said diocesan communications director Peter Frank. "However, he and a majority of the delegates felt that considering this issue at this time would only lead to further division among us."

In elections for delegates to the Episcopal Church's triennial General Convention in Columbus, Ohio in 2006, the Rev. George Werner, retired dean of Pittsburgh's Trinity Cathedral and current president of the national Episcopal Church's House of Deputies, was defeated in his attempt to gain one of four clergy slots.

Werner has worked hard to appoint both moderates and conservatives to church positions, Deimel said.

He said the debate and action on resolutions yesterday reflect the diocese's "widespread and profound alienation from the Episcopal Church."

By Violet Law
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, November 7, 2004

Two parishes could be ejected from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh if they do not drop a lawsuit aimed at blocking a conservative split from the national church, Bishop Robert Duncan warned Saturday.

"Congregations suing the leadership of the diocese is an egregious break in church order," Duncan said, after issuing the proclamation before stunned delegates at the diocese's 139th annual convention at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Moon.

Duncan characterized the admonition as a "last resort" to restore order to the diocese -- which, along with the national church, has been bitterly divided since the denomination consecrated an openly gay bishop last year. Led by Duncan, the Pittsburgh Diocese passed a series of resolutions opposing the move, triggering talk of a potential break from the Episcopal Church USA.

In the wake of the controversy, Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside sued Duncan and other Episcopal leaders last October seeking to ensure that the Episcopal Church USA retain ownership of local church buildings in the event of a split. St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal Church in Wilkinsburg later joined the lawsuit.

Duncan's warning did not sway Calvary rector the Rev. Harold Lewis

"We will not withdraw the suit," he said. "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."

St. Stephen's rector, the Rev. Diane Shepard, said she is "concerned and distressed for the well-being of the diocese," then referred further questions to Lewis.

Lewis insisted no court would uphold the expulsion of his or other churches from the diocese.

Still, if the churches do not withdraw their lawsuit, the diocese will vote on severing ties with them either during a special convention or at next year's annual convention in November, Duncan said.

"They have a perfect right to sue us ... but actions have consequences," Duncan said yesterday after the convention.

Diocesan canons allow the convention to dissolve connections to a parish "where there are egregious breeches (sic) of church faith or church order," according to a statement from the diocese.

"It is my earnest hope that we don't have to go there," Duncan said.

Calvary member Ardelle Hopson, 77, a lifelong Episcopalian, said the lawsuit is aimed at healing, rather than furthering, the division within the diocese.

"It's about keeping the church together," she said.

Lionel Deimel, a leader of the liberal Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh, vowed that his group will appeal to the national church and enlist other parishes to stand with Calvary and St. Stephen's.

"They are stepping on these two churches with a very big boot," said Deimel, a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon. "We have considered many possibilities, but we certainly didn't (expect) this vindictive action."

The rift between conservatives and the national church has been widening since August 2003, when the Episcopal General Convention approved the election of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, as bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. Leaders in the Pittsburgh Diocese, which covers 11 counties and includes 77 parishes, are prominent in a conservative wing at odds with the national church over homosexuality.

The diocese on Friday passed a constitutional amendment giving the body the authority to ignore national church resolutions local leaders consider contrary to historical biblical teachings.

Delegates listened to Duncan's warning in silence yesterday, but left St. Philip's buzzing.

"We pray for reconciliation, then we throw two churches out," said Lynn Edwards, a retired priest now active at the St. Matthew's Church in Homestead. "This is not the Episcopal Church where I was ordained some 37 years ago."

The worldwide Anglican Church is in turmoil over Robinson's election and the decision of some American and Canadian churches to bless same-sex unions. Last year the Archbishop of Canterbury created a commission of liberals and conservatives to address the problem.

The 17-member commission last month called on the Episcopal Church USA to apologize for installing Robinson and urged the church to refrain from naming bishops living in same-sex relationships "until some new consensus in the Anglican communion emerges."

END