Nearly 100 leading laity in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh have signed an open letter expressing their "strong support for the godly direction" of Bishop Robert W. Duncan Jr. in removing the diocese from the national church and realigning it with a more biblically conservative province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The letter, the idea of Edith M. Humphrey, a professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and Leslie Thyberg, chair of the diocese's board of examining chaplains, was written in response to a separate letter last month by 12 conservative clergy who broke with the bishop in declaring their intention to remain in the Episcopal Church.

"We were just talking about the letter that the 12 clergy had written openly to the diocese and we were concerned that people might not understand the whole story," said Dr. Humphrey, a member of the Church of the Ascension in Oakland.

The one-page laity letter rebuts the 12 clergy members' concern over potentially protracted court cases resulting from a realignment effort.

The Pittsburgh diocese voted in November at its annual convention to realign with a more theologically conservative province. It will take a second vote at this year's convention for the move to be adopted. No province has been identified.

"We want to remind them and the public that the court cases came about because of suits against the diocese and officers of the diocese," the letter reads, and "our bishop did not initiate these suits. Indeed, with others who support him, he has done everything possible to defuse the situation outside of the courts."

The letter states that the Pittsburgh Diocese "can no longer travel with a national Episcopal body that is departing from its foundations," referring to past decisions to consecrate an openly gay bishop and conduct same-sex blessings.

"We pray that in the coming year, even more lay persons will recognize the danger and folly of remaining in the punctured hull of the Episcopal Titanic," it read.

To date, signees of the letter have heard about it by word of mouth, Dr. Humphrey said. She hopes the letter will spread throughout the diocese; members from about 20 dioceses have signed it so far. It currently can be accessed through the home page on the Church of Ascension Web site www.ascensionpittsburgh.org.