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PUERTO RICO BISHOP RIPS PITTSBURGH BISHOP IN PRIVATE LETTER
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
COLUMBUS, OH (6/17/2006)--The Bishop of Puerto Rico, David Andres Alvarez ripped Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan in a letter, accusing the orthodox bishop of trying to turn the church over to 'biblical literalists, racists and fanatics.'
"I write regarding your May 26 letter to the HOB to try to clarify what is meant by the phrase: 'The issue for the 75th GC of the TEC in June 2006 is whether the 2003 decisions can be reversed and the tear in the fabric of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church can be repaired.'
"Also, I would like to have your meaning of what you say is the need 'to bring the whole Episcopal Church back into conformity with evangelical, catholic and Pentecostal Christianity.
"Regarding the first point, do you mean that the reversal of the 2003 decision is to 'depose', 'excommunicate' or 'reject' the validity of the ordination of the Bishop Robinson? In that case, we would not be in much line with the Ecumenical Counsels and the Ex-Opere Operato' theological principle of the efficacy of the sacraments, including ordination.
"On the second point, I also would need to clarify who you mean by 'evangelical, catholic and Pentecostal' since many of those expressions of Christianity would be 'biblical literalists, racists and fanatics' which, I'm sure, you do not want the Episcopal Church to become.
"I think that the report of the Special commission on The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Communion should be enough for all of us to come to agreement and move forward in whatever way the Holy Spirit guides this part of the church into the reception of the action taken at the 2003 General Convention."
In Christ
+ David Andres Alvarez
Bishop of Puerto Rico
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