A great injustice has been done to Bishop Duncan

In response to Wendy Scott Paff's Sept. 24 Perspectives piece ("Leaving the Episcopal Church: It's Not About Lifestyles; It's About Christ"): I would like to say that The Episcopal Church, U.S.A., of which Bishop Robert Duncan was a part, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), of which I am a part, have a Full Communion agreement. Implicit in that agreement is that both churches should support and admonish one another.

Bishop Duncan has been a good and trustworthy friend to Lutherans in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod ELCA, speaking at our annual synod assemblies on many occasions. The issues that divide the Episcopal Church also divide the Lutheran Church, but regardless of one's position on such issues, one must concede that Bishop Duncan is an honest, sincere, committed man of faith.

Although I do not officially represent my synod, I believe I can speak for many of my brothers and sisters in Christ and say that we prayerfully support Bishop Duncan and decry the injustice done to him. Furthermore, we must admonish Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the House of Bishops. The draconian measures used to remove Bishop Duncan are a scandal not only to that denomination but also to the whole Christian church, and a foreboding harbinger of greater tribulations to come.

I would encourage Christians of all denominations who have been touched by Bishop Duncan's ministry to summon the courage to speak out on his behalf.

PASTOR ERIC ASH
Monroeville

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Defending the faith

Wendy Scott Paff and others planning to leave the Episcopal Church are blatantly wrong when they claim the church no longer teaches that Jesus Christ is God and Savior ("Leaving the Episcopal Church").

Those who find fault with some aspects of a church should not declare the entire body corrupt. We who remain committed to the Episcopal Church know that in most places in this country, the church is vibrant and, above all, faithful.

Never has the national church asked or required us to teach, practice or believe anything that is contrary to the faith passed down to us. Rather, we proclaim Jesus is Lord and we recite the creeds, without reservation, and with full knowledge and acceptance of what they mean. Our Book of Common Prayer reflects these beliefs.

We believe the Episcopal Church continues to minister to the poor and needy, worship in spirit and truth and proclaim the saving power of Jesus Christ. We wish to stay and be a part of that faithful witness.

REV. DR. JAMES SIMONS
Ligonier

The writer is rector of St. Michael's of the Valley and chairs the steering committee of Across the Aisle, a theologically diverse group of Pittsburgh clergy and lay people committed to remaining in the Episcopal Church.

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The heart of it all

I would like to offer a non-Christian observation about Wendy Scott Paff's leaving the Episcopal Church. I am a God-fearing Reform Jew. While I believe that God can be perceived and approached, God is essentially beyond human comprehension.

Christians may have to debate what it is to be a Christian, but Jews know what it is to be a Jew: to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). Nothing else really matters.

DAI ROSENBLUM
Slippery Rock

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Rash VP decision

The commentary "Palin's Not Ready" by Thea Agnew Bemben (Sept. 21 Forum) reassured me to vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the upcoming election. She makes a solid point that Sarah Palin is not ready to be our vice president of the United States.

Ms. Bemben stresses that Alaska and Pittsburgh (really the United States) are two complete opposites. Ms. Palin was mayor of Wasilla, a very small town in Alaska. She stressed conformity and has little experience running government. This tells me that John McCain was quick to make an obviously indecisive choice for VP.

Do you want John McCain's rash decisions in office? I sure don't.

BECKIE ELSESSER
Marshall

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Wants it both ways

In a Sept. 7 Forum piece, Jim Roddey, the former chief executive of Allegheny County, suggested that in the face of current international challenges, we need a leader with "character" ("A Man of Character: The Times Call for John McCain"). He went on to argue that character involves "standing on principle" and that "John McCain has broken ranks with his own political party when he believed that its policies were not good for the country. ... He is a committed public servant who has always put service and country above self and party. In short, he is a man of character."

Interestingly enough, this definition depends upon Mr. McCain's reputation as a maverick. True, Mr. McCain has opposed his party on several issues: He voted against President Bush's tax cuts and against Mr. Bush's reduction of the federal estate tax because these measures excessively benefited the wealthy. Now he wants to make permanent those tax policies that, as a maverick, he voted against. How do these discrepancies square with Mr. Roddey's dictum regarding McCain's "standing on principle"?

Flip-flopping involves reversing one's stand on issues. But that term does not apply in this circumstance because Mr. McCain continues to advertise himself as a maverick. He apparently wants it both ways. In effect, he is saying I am now for tax policies that I once was against and therefore you should give me credit for once having been against those policies. However, I assure you that my principles haven't changed.

That line of thinking is disingenuous.

PATRICK SEGEDY
South Park

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Typical of Dems

Larry Buckwalter ("Foolish Again?" Sept. 23 letters) said Barack Obama will lose as a result of a racist and ignorant electorate. How typical of Democrats to name-call when they have no real argument to make.

He goes on to whine about the Republicans distorting facts. (I assume he means the political ads being run.) Does he flip channels when the Democratic commercials are run? Surely, he is showing some ignorance by even suggesting that this is a one-sided tendency.

As to his comment that Barack Obama is experienced, what experience is he referring to? A junior senator with a very pathetic voting record is not someone I would call experienced. Perhaps the Democrats can enlighten us all, as they always try to do, about the wonders and experience of this man. We ignorant voters need guidance. Please help us, Mr. Buckwalter.

WILLIAM P. DAVIS
South Park

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Our oil dilemma

Remember when oil was $60 a barrel? Remember when oil was almost $150 barrel? Remember "getting used to" the idea of $4 a gallon gasoline? And now oil is close to $100 a barrel and gasoline is below $4 a gallon.

It's time to remember how strongly we felt about not depending on oil from other countries -- many of whom are unfriendly to us. Time to remember how we wanted alternatives to oil.

The price and availability of oil are at best problematic. Let's keep the pressure on for more domestic drilling and government support of the development of alternative energy sources.

JIM WELCH
Upper St. Clair

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Let's put the same logic to work in local elections

In his Sept. 23 letter "After 8 Years of Stupidity, Give the Dems a Change," Robert Bafuma harshly criticizes the Bush administration and then correctly notes that "the beauty of our democratic system is we, the people, can change presidential leadership every four years or reward success with another term." His conclusion is that "it's time to give the Democrats a chance."

My question to Mr. Bafuma is this: Are we, as a region, better off now than in 2000? Will you apply your argument to the domination of the local Democratic Party, and the condition of the city and county today, and realize that it is long past time to give the Republicans a chance in the next election for mayor and county executive?

JOE WERTHEIM
Mt. Lebanon

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