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TSM Seminary Professor Responds to Giles Fraser
by Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry
The Editor,
Church Times, London
26th November 2007
Dear Sir,
I am sure the Revd Dr Giles Fraser (Comments, 23rd November) expressed the anxieties of many in his description of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and in his remarks about its Bishop, the Rt Revd Bob Duncan.
It does look like puritans breaking away again as they have gained a reputation for doing. Nevertheless, as a Church of England cleric currently teaching at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, I would like to make a number of points.
First, Trinity was founded as a theological college in 1976 because by that time the last remaining Evangelical one ( Virginia ) had become liberal in its commitments. One of the systematic theology professors left his tenured position there to help start this risky enterprise with the aim of securing a continuing place for Evangelicalism in the Episcopal Church.
Second, conservatives in Pittsburgh are not planning a 'hostile takeover' as Dr Fraser suggests. About 80 per cent of the clergy in the Episcopal Church are liberal-leaning (much more liberal than those in the Church of England in my experience); so any such ideas would be totally unrealistic, even if they were being considered. All conservatives are looking for is a continuing place at the table which they and their parishioners can hold with integrity.
Third, I very much hope and pray that there will be developments in the coming year that will mean the diocese of Pittsburgh does not in the end vote to leave the Episcopal Church. If it does come to that, however, the clergy and lay leaders know it will risk lawsuits and might lead to the loss of some church buildings and clergy pensions. No bishop or priest would undertake such a move lightly, and I would invite people not to assume the worst about their motives.
It would be a great help in the current tense situation if Dr Fraser would use his influence to encourage the clergy and people of Calvary Church to drop their law-suit against Bishop Duncan. He might also want to visit Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry next time he is in the States, and assess it for himself. While here, he could arrange to meet Bishop Duncan, who is in many ways a traditional Anglo-Catholic, whose high view of the Church and devotion to Jesus Christ are what makes him willing to live with all the criticism.
The original letter can be found here: http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=47997
---The Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry is the Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA, 15003, USA
