"These decisions are simply in character with those made by our own convention year after year," said Bishop Duncan. "We are and will remain the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. We are living within the constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church. But as the presiding bishop-elect, Katharine Jefferts Schori, herself so helpfully stated during the recently completed General Convention, there are really two bodies within our church, each with its own heart and mind. The decisions made today don't change who we are in the least, but they do make clear here in Pittsburgh and to the rest of the communion with which body in the Episcopal Church we stand," he added.

Making that clear is especially important in light of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' vision for the future of the Anglican Communion put forward in his teaching of June 27. In that vision, the Anglican Communion would be united around a covenant of agreed theological understandings and mutual submission.

The covenant would allow those who agreed to it to continue in "constituent" membership in the Anglican Communion while those who were unable to agree to it would become "associate" members of the communion. The Archbishop also acknowledged that the fault lines between those who could agree and those who could not agree would not just run between provinces, but within them, and that there may well be a need within those provinces for an "ordered and mutually respectful" delineation.

"We understand that these decisions may be difficult for some Pittsburgh Episcopalians. As it has been in the past, our goal as a diocese is to help everyone stand as they need to stand in these difficult and divisive times. Further, in all we do, your bishops and other diocesan leadership join with the Standing Committee in pledging our commitment to work with and care for all the congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to prosper their local mission," added Bishop Duncan.

The complete text of the resolution follows:

WHEREAS, the 140th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh accepted the Windsor Report (2004), and its corollary documents, the Lambeth 1.10 text (1998) and the Dromantine Communiqué (2005), as the basis on which this Diocese, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the Anglican Communion can go forward together; and

WHEREAS, said Annual Convention called upon Pittsburgh's deputies to the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church to do everything in their power to help that Convention make a clear statement of submission to the teaching of, and a clear statement of intent to abide by the requirements of the said Windsor Report and its corollary documents; and

WHEREAS, said Annual Convention declared that, should the 75th General Convention determine to continue its "walk apart" from the Anglican Communion, by its failure to accept unreservedly the Windsor Report and its corollary documents or to commit to a church life consonant with them, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh will stand with all Anglican Churches, Dioceses, and Provinces that hold and maintain the "Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacrament and Discipline of the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" whatever the costs or actions required to do so; and

WHEREAS, the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh recognize that the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church has elected to walk apart from the Anglican Communion through its failure to submit to the call, the spirit or the requirements of the Windsor Report; and

WHEREAS, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has been and continues to be a member of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America as well as a constituent member of the worldwide Anglican Communion in full and unimpaired communion with the See of Canterbury and those churches, dioceses, and provinces that uphold and propagate the historic Anglican Faith and Order; and

WHEREAS, the Archbishop of Canterbury in light of the actions of General Convention 2006 has written about the future of the Anglican Communion as having both "constituent" and "associated" members, as well as about "ordered and mutually respectful separation between 'constituent' and 'associated' elements" within local Churches, consistent with the stated aim of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to be a constituent member of the Anglican Communion as provided for in the Constitution of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America; and,

WHEREAS, the Bishop and Standing Committee believe it is necessary for the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to disassociate itself from those actions of the 75th General Convention which constitute a decision of the Episcopal Church to walk apart from the Anglican Communion.

RESOLVED, that the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in good faith hereby join with the other dioceses of the Episcopal Church who are appealing to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primates of the Anglican Communion, and the Panel of Reference for immediate alternative Primatial oversight and pastoral care so that a unifying solution might be found to preserve an authentic Anglican community of witness within the United States of America and provide pastoral and apostolic care to biblically orthodox Anglicans in this country regardless of geographical location; and

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, pending final ratification by its 141st Annual Convention, withdraws its consent, pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church, to be included in the Third Province of the Episcopal Church, seeking emergence of a new Tenth Province of the Episcopal Church which is fully Windsor compliant, positioned with that part of the Episcopal Church determined to maintain constituent status in the Anglican Communion.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Bishop and Standing Committee commit to work with and care for all the congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh to prosper their local mission regardless of whether they remain in "constituent" status or might elect otherwise.

Final Adoption: Wednesday, June 28, 2006