Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh has responded to charges that he had abandoned communion. The bishop declared he is subject to the doctrine, discipline and worship of The Episcopal Church in a letter sent to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on March 14.
 
“I have kept my ordination vows – all of them – to the best of my ability, including the vow I made on 28 October 1972 to ‘banish and drive away all strange and erroneous doctrines contrary to God’s Word’,” he said. “I have been present to all but two meetings of the House of Bishops (out of 24) during the last 12 years. In those meetings I have clearly and openly opposed the theological and moral drift of The Episcopal Church, often in the face of great hostility and sadly, at times, derision.”
 
In a supplemental letter sent the same day to David Booth Beers, chancellor to the Presiding Bishop, a lawyer for Bishop Duncan said “the matter has been resolved and we expect that there will be no further action with respect to the certification enclosed with the letter from the Presiding Bishop.”
 
During a telephone press conference March 12, after the conclusion of the House of Bishops’ five-day retreat, Bishop Jefferts Schori said she would poll members of the House of Bishops in May to determine whether to move up a vote on the deposition of Bishop Duncan earlier than she had previously announced. Last December, a disciplinary review committee provided certification that Bishop Duncan had abandoned communion, but Bishop Jefferts Schori was unable to obtain the necessary unanimous consent of the three senior bishops with jurisdiction.
 
Bishop Jefferts Schori wrote to Bishop Duncan on Jan. 15, and promised to bring the charges against him to the House of Bishops at the next scheduled meeting in September unless Bishop Duncan provided a statement and evidence to prove that the charges were not true.
 
In his letter to Mr. Beers, attorney John Lewis submitted six pieces of canonical evidence to support dropping the charges against Bishop Duncan. Mr. Lewis also asserted that unlike bishops Schofield and Cox, Bishop Duncan would insist on his canonical right to a hearing before a vote.
 
“[Title 4, canon 9] requires the House of Bishops ‘to investigate the matter’,” Mr. Lewis said. “That provision, together with fundamental due process, require that Bishop Duncan (or his representative) be given a hearing by the House of Bishops, including the right to present evidence and witnesses.”
 
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