Pittsburgh: Episcopal division expected to carry over to property dispute

Saturday, October 11, 2008
By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Early wrangling has begun in what will ultimately be a decision by a civil court over which Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh inherits the property of the diocese that voted Oct. 4 to secede from the Episcopal Church into the more theologically conservative Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in South America.

The Episcopal Church has recognized a remnant of about 20 churches that refused to secede with more than 50 others. Both sides claim to be "The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America" that in 2005 signed a legal stipulation saying that it owned diocesan property. The same stipulation said parishes wishing to disassociate from that diocese could apply to it for parish property. This week the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (Anglican) wrote to churches aligned with the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, telling them to apply to the Anglican diocese for their property. the rest