NEW YORK — A conservative Episcopal bishop said he and a dozen other bishops are forming a network of parishes that disapprove of the American church’s endorsement of an openly gay bishop, according to a published report.
Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan told The New York Times the network, to be called the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, is not breaking with the Episcopal Church U.S.A, the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion.
"We’re not leaving, we’re not separating ourselves," Duncan said in Wednesday editions. "What we trust is that the rest of the Christian community are going to bring such pressure to bear on the whole of this church that it steps back from this event."
Some conservative Episcopalian leaders have debated various ways to protest the national church’s leadership following the consecration of the Rev. Gene Robinson as the church’s first openly gay bishop.
Dioceses that have agreed to join the network are Pittsburgh; Albany; San Joaquin, Calif.; South Carolina; Florida; Central Florida; Southwest Florida; Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas; Quincy and Springfield in Illinois; Western Kansas; and Rio Grande, which includes parts of Texas and New Mexico.
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