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Progressive
Episcopalians
of
Pittsburgh is a
group of Episcopal clergy and laity dedicated to maintaining the health and unity of
The Episcopal Church, including the Diocese of Pittsburgh, as a theologically diverse expression of Anglicanism in America. PEP seeks both a church and a society that strive for justice and peace among all people, and that respect the dignity of every human being.
PEP is a member of
Via Media USA,
an alliance of similar groups dedicated to the traditional Anglicanism of
The Episcopal Church. We are not liberal or conservative,
not Evangelical or Anglo-Catholic, not
low-, broad-, or high-church. We are all those things and more:
we are one in our Lord Jesus Christ. |
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New PEP Document Offers Very Different Answers to
Questions in Diocese’s FAQ
May 19, 2008. Today, PEP releases a new 16-page
document, “Realignment Reconsidered.” This important
contribution to the realignment debate within the
Diocese of Pittsburgh provides an alternative view of
realignment from that offered in the diocese’s handout
issued last month, “Frequently Asked Questions About
Realignment.”
The new document reproduces the 30 questions and answers
from “FAQ,” pairing each answer from the diocese with an
alternative answer from PEP. Read more about this
important document
here, which contains links to
“Realignment Reconsidered” and to the PEP press release
about it.
Coincidentally, the Rev. Dr. Harold Lewis, rector of
Calvary Church also addressed “FAQ” in his parish
newsletter. His essay “Realignment: The Unvarnished
Truth” can be read
here.
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PEP Contributions Tax-exempt
Join or Contribute On-line
January 13, 2008.
PEP was formed in the spring of 2003 and was
chartered as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation
in 2004. In a letter dated December 13, 2007, the
IRS informed us of its determination that PEP is
“exempt from Federal income tax under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code” and that
contributions to PEP “are deductible under section
170 of the Code.” PEP is a “public charity” under
Federal regulations. Moreover, the effective date of
this status is February 2, 2004.
Board member Lionel Deimel, who managed the process
that resulted in the IRS determination, said, “This
represents an important milestone for PEP. Some
people have been reluctant to make larger
contributions because such gifts were understood not
to be tax-deductible. As our diocese moves closer to
crisis, the IRS ruling will make it easier for PEP
to obtain the resources it needs to educate
Pittsburgh Episcopalians and to co-ordinate
activities among leaders and parishes.”
PEP’s tax-exempt status will make it less painful
for many to join, but we are making it simpler as
well. Members may now fill out a membership form
on-line and pay dues on-line. If you do not wish to
join but would like to make a contribution to PEP,
that, too, may be done on-line. To fill out a
membership form or to make a contribution, click
here. |
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“Undermining the
Episcopal Church”
September 15, 2007.
The Rev. Thomas B. Woodward wrote a brilliant
four-part essay for
The Episcopal Majority called “Undermining the
Episcopal Church.” In it, Woodward clearly
identifies the nature of the threat to our church
from those who destroy it. In so doing, he not only
makes the case for The Episcopal Church but also
suggests how we all can defend our church from those
dissidents who, in a fundamental sense, are quite
un-Anglican in their outlook.
All four parts of the Woodward essay are now
available
here in
a single PDF file. The sections are titled “Cheap
Substitutions Are Not Acceptable,” “Blasting Away at
the Bedrock,” “A Case of Spiritual Adultery,” and
“Replacing the Christ with a Code.” |
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LEARN ABOUT US - GET INVOLVED
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PEP Newsletter Covers Recent Events and
Possible Future Ones
January 29, 2008. The just-published February
issue of PEPtalk, PEP’s newsletter, covers the
recent dramatic events in both San Joaquin and
Pittsburgh, where the struggle between The Episcopal
Church and bishops bent on “realignment” is heating up.
Other articles offer news of PEP and the diocese. The
newsletter offers a “cautionary tale” on the subject of
parish property and the church, as well as two essays on
the necessity of loyal Episcopalians, whatever their
theological or liturgical leanings, getting together to
plan for the future Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Paper copies of PEPtalk have been sent to PEP
members and friends and are available in many local
parishes. The on-line version is available
here.
If you would like to join PEP and have future issues
mailed to you, click here
to join.
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Q&A Handout Helps
Explain Conflict
August 25, 2007. A new 6-page document from
Church of the Redeemer helps demystify Episcopal
Church and Anglican Communion conflicts. The handout
includes 37 questions, along with brief answers and
a question index. “Questions on the Current
Controversy Facing The Episcopal Church” is
especially helpful to Pittsburgh Episcopalians, as
many questions relate to issues now being discussed
in the diocese. Click
here to
read more and to download a copy of the new Q&A. |
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“Rewriting History”
Traces Communion
Power Struggle
August 2, 2007. Savitri Hensman, a leader in
both the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement and
Inclusive Church in the U.K. has written “Rewriting
History: Scapegoating The Episcopal Church.” This
82-page report traces the recent struggle for power
within the Anglican Communion and argues that
puritanical elements of the Communion have unfairly
targeted The Episcopal Church (TEC). Although
“Rewriting History” treats the conflict within TEC
only lightly, even those familiar with the recent
history of the Communion will appreciate this
thorough and well-documented review of how we got to
where we are today. You can read the whole report
here. |
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READ
The PEP Newsletter |
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