David Wilson Complains, Warns

The Rev. David Wilson, one of the most aggressively partisan Duncanite priests before the schism in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and now a priest in Duncan’s Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, cannot seem to stop himself from throwing brickbats at his former colleagues.

Wilson’s latest diatribe, “Has Something Changed Along the Way ? – Part 2,” appears on his blog, Anglican Yinzer.

After citing his post of July 12, 2010, complaining about the Rev. Jim Simons, the only current Episcopal priest mentioned by name in his “Part 2” post of July 31, 2011, Wilson has this to say:

Recently I was told that: “There are three openly partnered gay or lesbian priests licensed and functioning in the TEC Diocese, there is a priest licensed and functioning who has been divorced at least twice perhaps three times and married three times perhaps even four times and a heterosexual priest living with a woman to whom he is not married also licensed and functioning.”

His real complaint, apparently, is that the twelve priests who announced in a January 28, 2008, letter that they were staying in The Episcopal Church are not doing a good job of effecting its “renewal and reformation,” as they implied they would be doing.

Frankly, I cannot confirm the facts asserted by Wilson and, in any case, would not be as upset about them as he is. I suspect that at least some of his alleged “immorality“ was going on before the split of the diocese, so I wonder in what directions Wilson should be casting aspersions.

In any case, Wilson further notes

In addition, “the group does not support ordination of openly gay clergy or conducting same-sex blessings, the so-called ‘innovations’ at the forefront of denominational disputes since 2003. However, members said they do not believe it is necessary to leave the Episcopal Church, the American arm of the worldwide Anglican Communion, to make that point.”

He is not quoting the 2008 letter here but the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story about the letter. Opposition to openly gay clergy or same-sex blessings is not asserted in the letter, and reporter Steve Levin did not quote anyone directly about these issues. I have no idea if all 12 priests were or are of one mind on these issues. (That said, I am curious.)

Wilson concludes

Why do I write this? I write because I don’t want those of us in the ACNA Diocese of Pittsburgh to be naive. If we think our former mates over in TEC will somehow ally themselves with us or support our position and stand up on principle to the powers within the TEC diocese or the national church based on past affections or past convictions, we are sorely mistaken. Reconciliation and/or settlement with TEC has always meant capitulation to their position—nothing more and nothing less.

His advice is not unreasonable, though the comment about capitulation is a little harsh. By the same token, Episcopalian clergy should not expect that their former colleagues are likely to rejoin The Episcopal Church, either, though at least one has already done so.