Episcopal Church may potentially split!

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Dreadsox

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Church confronts choice
Sexuality dispute tops agenda as thousands gather
Friday, June 09, 2006
Dennis M. Mahoney
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

ASSOCIATED PRESS
A potential controversy at next week’s Episcopal convention in Columbus was averted last month when the Diocese of California did not elect one of three openly gay candidates to be its next bishop.


LEE MARRINER ASSOCIATED PRESS
V. Gene Robinson was invested as Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire in March 2004.

DISPATCH
At the Greater Columbus Convention Center, John Montgomery of Labor Team dusts the floor as the registration area for the Episcopal Church’s General Convention is readied.


V. Gene Robinson knew that if he were confirmed as New Hampshire bishop by the 2003 General Convention of the Episcopal Church USA, some people wouldn’t be happy.

But he was taken aback by the ferocity of the reaction to his becoming the denomination’s first openly gay leader.

"Both I and the Diocese of New Hampshire knew that there would be people that would be less than comfortable with my election and consecration," Robinson said. "But I don’t think any of us thought it would have the breadth and depth that it in fact has."

Three years later, as the Episcopal Church comes to Columbus for its 75 th triennial convention, the 2.2 million-member denomination finds its relations strained with the Anglican Communion, the worldwide body of 77 million members to which it belongs, over Robinson’s consecration.

Internally, a small but vocal minority of conservatives, also spurred by the 2003 action, have taken on the denomination, raising the specter of a split.

This year’s convention, which opens Tuesday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center Downtown, will vote on the church’s response to criticism from its sister churches in the communion.

In 2004, a commission representing Anglican leaders around the world wrote the Windsor Report, calling on the U.S. church to stop consecrating gay bishops for now and asking dioceses not to authorize same-sex union ceremonies. It also asked the church to express its regret for the turmoil from Robinson’s election.

In turn, the church developed a document, "One Baptism, One Hope in God’s Call," with several resolutions that will be debated in Columbus and will help mold the response to the Windsor Report.

Among the proposed resolutions:


• The church apologizes "for having breached the bonds of affection in the Anglican Communion by any failure to consult adequately with our Anglican partners" before acting in 2003.


• In electing bishops, dioceses should use "very considerable caution" in choosing those whose "manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church."


• Dioceses should defer same-sex union ceremonies until the Anglican Communion reaches consensus on the issue, and bishops who have approved such ceremonies should apologize.


• The church reiterates that gays are "by baptism full members of the Body of Christ and of the Episcopal Church" and "are entitled to equal protection of the laws."

Hoping for compromise


The Rev. Rosemari Sullivan of the Virginia Theological Seminary, a former General Convention secretary and executive officer, was a member of the commission that wrote "One Baptism." She said its resolutions ask the denomination "to go more slowly, more carefully, more mindfully in terms of the communion."

She expects that whatever emerges from the convention won’t satisfy everyone.

"But I think, by and large, a two-thirds majority of the communion will say: ‘The Episcopal Church has really expressed regret; we’re all one in Christ. While we’re still perplexed by this crazy Episcopal Church, we understand it better and we’re glad we’re all together.’

"And others will say, ‘My way or the highway.’ "

The Rev. James Rosenthal, spokesman for the London-based Anglican Communion, could not say what action the convention must take to satisfy communion members. But he said the Episcopal Church has been responsive to its sister churches’ concerns.

Anglicans throughout the rest of the world have "made it absolutely clear that the desire is for the communion to remain as one," Rosenthal said.

During the last three years, the Episcopal Church also has been dealing with internal divisions.

Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, who was among those who voted against Robinson in 2003, has been a leader of the Anglican Communion Network, which opposes the church’s direction. The network says it has the support of 10 dioceses and about 200,000 Episcopalians.

Duncan accused the majority of church leaders of being "disrespectful and disdainful of what we’re doing." He said his allies have had a particularly strained relationship with Frank Griswold, the church’s presiding bishop.

At the Columbus convention, the church needs to accept "without reserve" everything the Anglican Communion has asked, Duncan said, or the split between the two will widen.

Duncan dismissed talk of conservatives leaving the denomination and said it is the national church that is teetering on the brink.

"The question is, who’s got the future? " he said. "I don’t believe this anomaly, this aberration from Christian norms is actually going to produce a church with any strength at all. Quite the contrary. It’s producing a church that’s disintegrating."

Conservatives ’ ire


The national church also has taken shots from the conservative American Anglican Council, an Anglican Network ally opposed to the church’s direction.

Cynthia Brust, spokeswoman for the council, said the debate is not about Robinson or sex but about whether the church is really Christian.

"It’s about, is Jesus Christ the son of God, is he the only means of salvation? " she said. "This warm, fuzzy Universalist theology has taken over the Episcopal Church."

Robinson agreed that the debate is about more than him.

"It is about perhaps two different views of what it means to be the church, two different ways of approaching our common life in Christ," he said.

Robinson said he supports the church commission’s proposals.

"I think it puts forward a way for us to reaffirm our commitment to being a part of the communion, which I highly support, and gives us some concrete ways of indicating that commitment," he said.

"At the same time, I believe it preserves the kind of autonomy of provinces (national churches) that has been our 400-year tradition."

The specter of a split in the church is a concern, Robinson said.

"It would be one thing if we were all working for reconciliation and were somehow unable to achieve it," he said. "But we’re not all working for reconciliation. It breaks my heart that that’s the case. But I believe that a small number of people are actually working to bring about that split."

Legislation at the convention must get the approval of two legislative bodies: the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies.

The former includes about 300 bishops, both active and retired. The House of Deputies is made up of half clergy and half laypeople; each of the 110 dioceses, most in the United States but a few elsewhere, has eight deputies.

Beyond the Windsor debate, the denomination will tackle a variety of other issues, including choosing a new presiding bishop to replace Griswold, who was elected in 1997. Bishops will meet in private at Trinity Episcopal Church Downtown on June 18 to elect the new leader, whose selection also must be approved by the deputies.

Candidates include Bishops J. Neil Alexander of Atlanta, Francisco Duque-Gomez of Colombia, Edwin Gulick of Kentucky, Katharine Jefferts Schori of Nevada, Charles Jenkins of Louisiana, Henry Parsley of Alabama and Stacy Sauls of Lexington, Ky.

Other issues that will be addressed include:


• Choosing a new president of the House of Deputies to replace the Rev. George Werner of Pittsburgh, who was not re-elected as a deputy for his diocese. He has been president since 2000.


• Affirming the church’s support for the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, aimed at battling poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS, improving education and health care, and reducing child mortality.


• Taking a step toward full communion with the United Methodist Church by approving joint Eucharist.


• Apologizing for the church’s support of slavery and for racial discrimination after emancipation. This proposal also calls for a study to determine whether reparations should be paid to black Episcopalians.


• Affirming that evolution theory "is entirely compatible with an authentic and living Christian faith."


• Calling for an end to the U.S. sanctions against Cuba.


• Considering resolutions on the Middle East, including reaffirming the church’s commitment to ending anti-Semitism, working for the assurance of human rights of Palestinians and recognizing Jerusalem as the shared capital of Israel and a Palestinian state.
20060609-Pc-C1-0600.jpg
 
and this will cause this

[Q]'One Episcopalian' campaign aims to make poverty history with ONE.org

Tuesday, June 06, 2006




[Episcopal News Service] At its General Convention next week, the Episcopal Church will launch a new grassroots partnership with ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History. The new initiative, called ONE Episcopalian, seeks to rally Episcopalians -- ONE by ONE -- to the cause of ending extreme poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
"Strong advocacy from a wide array of Americans -- including people of faith -- is needed so government leaders will commit the resources necessary to meet the Millennium Development Goals," said Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold. "The ONE Episcopalian campaign will provide an opportunity for all Episcopalians to unite their voices with the large and growing movement to end global poverty in our time."

The ONE Campaign is a movement of Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life, united as ONE to help make poverty history. ONE is a coalition of more than 70 of America's leading advocacy and humanitarian organizations and more than 2.3 million people, joining together to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. The goal of ONE is to direct an additional ONE percent of the U.S. federal budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, food and clean water to transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries.

The Episcopal Church -- which endorsed the MDGs at its 74th General Convention in 2003 -- has been a member of the ONE Campaign since its first year of existence. ONE Episcopalian builds on this energy by equipping dioceses, parishes, and individuals to be more effective advocates and join with people across America and the world in the fight against extreme poverty and global AIDS.

Look for more information during next week's General Convention. Bishops, deputies, and visitors at the Convention Center are invited to visit the Peace and Justice Ministries display area in the Episcopal Church Center's booth. Other Episcopalians can look for information next week from the Episcopal News Service, as well as additional information as the campaign progresses.

By speaking with ONE voice, in common language, Episcopalians have the opportunity to show the power of ONE!

Contacts:

Alex Baumgarten, the Episcopal Church, 202-547-7300
Meighan Stone, ONE Campaign 202-468-0791

[/Q]


To be lost in the heat of the moment.
 
Here is another article showing the growing rift amongst what is commonly called the "evangelical" movement in organized Christian religion today:


http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/122/52.0.html



Rift Opens Among Evangelicals on AIDS Funding

Dobson targets Global Fund, which helps Salvation Army, Youth for Christ, and World Vision.

by Daniel Burke, Religion News Service | posted 06/02/2006 09:30 a.m.



As the world marks 25 years since HIV and AIDS first appeared, a clash among high-profile evangelical leaders over an international relief foundation threatens to take center stage.

The dispute also lays bare a faultline among American evangelicals, who have been divided over the treatment and prevention of AIDS because of the disease's perceived connections to homosexuality and sexual promiscuity.

The clash, which centers on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, may have long-term ramifications, both for those suffering with diseases and for the reputation of American evangelicals, activists said.

If the U.S. fails to extend help because of objections from conservative Christians, "we will look on this as a very mistaken time," said Tony Campolo, a prominent sociologist and Christian activist.

Since its founding in 2001, the Swiss-based Global Fund has spent $2 billion on programs that offer medical treatment and education in 130 countries, according to a spokesperson. The U.S. government has provided 30 percent of the public-private foundation's finances through 2005, and appropriated $445 million for 2006.

Some of the programs bankrolled through the Global Fund—such as those that distribute condoms to prostitutes or provide clean needles to drug addicts—have drawn fire from conservative evangelicals. Hardline conservatives favor President Bush's policy of abstinence and emphasis on fidelity in marriage. Others take a more pragmatic approach, and say that exporting Western morality to foreign countries is ineffective at best and calamitous at worst.

After the Senate passed a non-binding budget amendment last March to increase the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to $866 million in 2007, Dobson lambasted the international foundation, saying it promotes "legalized prostitution and all kinds of wickedness around the world."

As the House debates a foreign spending bill this week that would maintain the current $445 million to the Global Fund next year, Dobson's Focus on the Family ministry has turned up the heat.

A five-page letter addressed to lawmakers criticizes the Global Fund's board of directors, its spending habits, and its "social marketing" of condoms "to the near exclusion of abstinence and faithfulness." The letter is signed by Dobson and representatives from 29 other conservative organizations, such as Shepherd Smith of the Institute for Youth Development and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer of American Values.

Not all evangelicals, however, are siding with Dobson.

The Global Fund released its own letter on May 24 that quoted Scripture, detailing the foundation's accomplishments and listing supportive signatures of prominent Christian leaders like Call to Renewal founder Jim Wallis, Campolo and, Pat Robertson.

Interview requests with Robertson, an outspoken conservative evangelical and CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Network, were declined.

"Robertson would be the first to admit that we don't agree on many issues. But there are certain issues that get people together all across the theological spectrum and this is one of them," said Campolo, who heads the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education.

Campolo said he was surprised Dobson has spoken so forcefully against the Global Fund when "it's a minute portion of the funding that would cause any objection in the evangelical community."

In fact, the Global Fund financially supports more than 73 faith-based organizations, including the Salvation Army, Youth for Christ, and World Vision, a Christian relief agency based in the United States.

Focusing on "narrow" and contentious issues—such as condom distribution—dismisses and distracts from "all the good work the Global Fund is doing for suffering people," said Jenny Eaton Dyer, national faith outreach director for DATA, an organization co-founded by U2 frontman Bono that is dedicated to eradicating disease and poverty in Africa.

Paul Hetrick, a spokesman for Dobson's ministry in Colorado Springs, Colo., said Dobson is not "categorically opposed" to condom use by married couples, but would rather see money funneled to a Bush administration program that stresses abstinence.

"We're just concerned," he said, "about government programs where abstinence is given short shrift."

Although their ranks remain small, increasing numbers of American evangelicals are willing to donate money for AIDS education and prevention in Africa, according to recent polls.

The disease remains "a very touchy subject among evangelicals," said John C. Green, a professor of religion and politics at the University of Akron.

But if young Christians follow the lead of musicians like Dan Haseltine, a singer-songwriter in the popular group Jars of Clay, some of that may be changing.

Two years ago, Haseltine, who signed the letter in support of the Global Fund, started a program to provide clean blood and water supplies to African communities. Working in those communities, Haseltine said he has come to appreciate, and be humbled by, "the messiness of life."

"The church is kind of infamous for taking complex questions and finding really simple answers," Haseltine said in an interview. "AIDS doesn't work that way."

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seems like a growing number of "Christians" are forgetting all over again the idea of "Judge not, yet ye be judged."

:tsk:
 
starsgoblue said:
I was actually planning on attending the ONE event next week in Cbus & was unawares of the rift in this denomination since I attend a nondenom usually....hmm...

Don't let this issue within the church hurt the cause for the poor. I do not think the Bishop would want that to happen having met the man at an AIDS conference, he would not want that.
 
Dreadsox said:
Cynthia Brust, spokeswoman for the council, said the debate is not about Robinson or sex but about whether the church is really Christian.

"It’s about, is Jesus Christ the son of God, is he the only means of salvation? " she said. "This warm, fuzzy Universalist theology has taken over the Episcopal Church."

Robinson agreed that the debate is about more than him.

"It is about perhaps two different views of what it means to be the church, two different ways of approaching our common life in Christ," he said.


The whole Gene Robinson/sexual orentation aside, I do think Cynthia Burst makes a good point here and it parallels an issue in some United Methodist circles. Some church folks want to de-deify Jesus and re-create Him in our own image instead of recognizing Him as a member of the Holy Trinity. I don't see the faith value in making a "Christian" denomination into a Universalist denomination. Maybe it's more marketable to a target audience, but it doesn't seem true to the core foundation of faith.

I do, however, like the idea of full communion with us (UMC), as long as Jesus continues to be recognized as exactly who He says He is.

~U2Alabama
 
Schism talk confronts many main line denominations today. The issue of homosexuality is usually the proxy for explaining the split, while the true reasons are far more complex, internal government issues which do not translate well in the press. I've been following a similar situation in the Presbyterian Church, which will also have a contentious General Assembly this month.
 
[Q]I do, however, like the idea of full communion with us (UMC), as long as Jesus continues to be recognized as exactly who He says He is.[/Q]

If you believe in FULL communion, can you support a Gay Bishop?
 
Dreadsox said:


Don't let this issue within the church hurt the cause for the poor. I do not think the Bishop would want that to happen having met the man at an AIDS conference, he would not want that.


Oh I certainly won't. Regardless of other issues, the fact that this group is being very vocal in the issue of the church responding to this crisis says volumes of things that are positive to me and I am looking forward to this event.
 
Dreadsox said:
[Q]I do, however, like the idea of full communion with us (UMC), as long as Jesus continues to be recognized as exactly who He says He is.[/Q]

If you believe in FULL communion, can you support a Gay Bishop?

As far as the difference between the United Methodist Church's policies/practices and those of ECUSA, the concept of "full communion" can be obtained without total agreement on theology and relative secondary issues. For example, Episcopalians still believe in the apostolic succession of their bishops. We don't.

But let me add that I think the divinity of Christ issue would be a very critical issue of theological difference for two groups considering full communion.

~U2Alabama
 
nbcrusader said:
Schism talk confronts many main line denominations today. The issue of homosexuality is usually the proxy for explaining the split, while the true reasons are far more complex, internal government issues which do not translate well in the press. I've been following a similar situation in the Presbyterian Church, which will also have a contentious General Assembly this month.

Quite right. "Homosexuality" is used as a hot-button scapegoat.

Frankly, I don't want liberal Christians to shy away from their beliefs. If conservative Christians don't like it, then they have a whole myriad of conservative Christian religions to choose from. The only other option for liberal Christians, for the most part, is to just stop attending church.

Melon
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:
Can someone explain to me the concept of "full" communion? I've never heard this term.

In my simplistic words, a general agreement in the overall theology, but by no means a merger of denominations.

Wikipedia summarizes it better:

Full communion is completeness of that relationship between Christian individuals and groups which is known as communion. Implying a unity unbroken by heresy or schism, it requires agreement on essential doctrine and practice and a willingness to have close relations. Absolute uniformity in theology and usage is not necessary: provided that this essential unity is maintained, different understandings and emphases are seen as mutually enriching.

Partial communion exists where elements of Christian faith are held in common, but complete unity on essentials is lacking. For example, the Catholic Church sees itself as in partial communion with Protestants, and as in much closer, but still incomplete, communion with the Eastern Orthodox Churches (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 838).[1]

The word "communion" is used not only of the bond uniting Christian individuals and groups, but also of groupings of Churches that explicitly recognize the existence between them of this bond in its full form. Examples are the Anglican Communion and the Porvoo Communion.

...and in much more detail, with some good examples of denominations in "full communion" with each other, here.

~U2Alabama
 
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The first openly gay Episcopal bishop said at a packed church hearing Wednesday that he is "not an abomination," as he pleaded with the denomination not to bar gays from the office of bishop, even temporarily, for the sake of Anglican unity.

If Episcopalians "see Christ in the faithful lives of our gay and lesbian members," they should have the courage to say so, no matter the potential consequences, said Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

"I am not an abomination before God," he told the Episcopal General Convention. "Please, I beg you, let's say our prayers and stand up for right."

But Bishop Robert Duncan, who leads a network of conservative Episcopal dioceses that opposed Robinson's consecration, told those at the hearing that the denomination is attempting an impossible task, "which is to hold together the conserving and progressive wings of our church."

We've reached a moment where it is very difficult, indeed I think we've reached an impossible moment, in holding it together," said Duncan, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The convention will vote over the next few days whether to meet demands from Anglican leaders to impose a moratorium on electing gay bishops and express regret for the turmoil caused by Robinson's 2003 consecration.

The Episcopal Church is the U.S. arm of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion, the global association of churches that trace their roots to the Church of England. The majority of overseas Anglicans believe the Bible prohibits same-sex relationships, and they want the Americans to follow that teaching or leave the communion.

If Anglican leaders dislike the outcome of the General Convention, which runs through June 21, the communion could break apart. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the Anglican spiritual leader, has repeatedly expressed concern about the future of the fellowship.

"We cannot survive as a communion of churches without some common convictions about what it is to live and to make decisions as the Body of Christ," he wrote in a message to the General Convention, which runs through June 21.

Wednesday night's hearing was organized by a committee crafting the Episcopal response to the crisis. The main proposal before delegates does not contain a moratorium on future gay bishops. Instead, it asks dioceses to "exercise very considerable caution" in electing leaders. However, delegates can revise or reject the legislation.

People began standing in line more than an hour before the hearing began to make sure they could get inside. Delegates and visitors filled the vast hotel ballroom to its 1,500-person capacity, while an overflow crowd outside listened on speakers as delegates took turns commenting on how the church should proceed.

Many expressed concern about the church's place in the Anglican family, while others said it would go against God to put restrictions on gay clergy.

---

On the Net:

http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/
 
I do have to say in defense, I attended the packed U2/One Event held here as a volunteer of One and the speakers (bishops?--sorry I'm not Episcopalian) stressed the importance that the issue of taking a stand against poverty was more important an issue as a person of faith than sexuality or differences. The service was very well presented and it was encouraging to see so many people willing to sit on the floor because all the seats were taken to hear about the One Campaign.
 
MrsSpringsteen said:
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The first openly gay Episcopal bishop said at a packed church hearing Wednesday that he is "not an abomination," as he pleaded with the denomination not to bar gays from the office of bishop, even temporarily, for the sake of Anglican unity.

If Episcopalians "see Christ in the faithful lives of our gay and lesbian members," they should have the courage to say so, no matter the potential consequences, said Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

"I am not an abomination before God," he told the Episcopal General Convention. "Please, I beg you, let's say our prayers and stand up for right."

But Bishop Robert Duncan, who leads a network of conservative Episcopal dioceses that opposed Robinson's consecration, told those at the hearing that the denomination is attempting an impossible task, "which is to hold together the conserving and progressive wings of our church."

We've reached a moment where it is very difficult, indeed I think we've reached an impossible moment, in holding it together," said Duncan, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.





amazing how the orientation matters more than the man.

shameful.

:tsk:
 
Doe anyone see Larry King last night?Bishop Robinson was on. What an amazing man

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/15/lkl.01.html


ANDERSON: I think the heterosexualists, the standard default setting, if you will, and whether you start with scripture and God's account of how things were created or, in fact, if you start with Charles Darwin and evolution, you come to the same point, that men were meant for women and women were meant for men.

KING: So what, then, does someone like Bishop Robinson do if he has all of these feelings but he's a good Episcopal priest and he wants to be a bishop and he wants to lead a flock, what does he do? ANDERSON: He conforms his life to the scriptural standards and lives a chaste and celibate life honoring God and honoring God's commandments.

KING: Bishop Robinson, how would you respond?

ROBINSON: Well, I would say that none of us are able to conform our lives to scriptural standards. In the gospel of Luke, for instance, Jesus said if you want to be a follower of mine you must give up all your possessions. I don't see many of us doing that. We all fall short in one way or another. The miracle, the good news, is that we're not worthy, but we're made worthy by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's the good news we have to give to the world and God has said to me and to all of God's children what God said to Jesus at his baptism, you are my beloved. In you, I am well pleased. The world is desperate to know a God like that.
 
Isn't that the truth....

We all fall short in one way or another.
 
I think perhaps the problem is that those who are so quick to point out how they believe everyone else falls short have no clue what Bishop Robinson is saying there.

The world certainly is desperate to know a God like that, rather than to know a God that some people have twisted Him to be.
 
Robinson clearly states what God is like:

We all fall short in one way or another. The miracle, the good news, is that we're not worthy, but we're made worthy by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We still reject Him in favor of doing it on our own.
 
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer

Episcopal Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori has tackled male-dominated fields before as an oceanographer and a pilot. Now, she is taking on an even broader challenge as the first woman in the world to lead an Anglican province.

Jefferts Schori, bishop of Nevada, was elected Sunday as the first female presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, the U.S. arm of the Anglican Communion. It is the latest groundbreaking and potentially divisive move by the American denomination.

Three years ago, Episcopalians stunned the communion by consecrating the first openly gay bishop — V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. The Episcopal General Convention, the national meeting where Jefferts Schori was elected, will decide this week whether to appease angry overseas archbishops by temporarily barring homosexuals from leading dioceses.

As presiding bishop, Jefferts Schori will have to explain the church's decision to elevate Robinson, which she supported, to the Anglican leaders who don't even consider her ordination valid. Many Anglicans believe women should not be ordained.

Only two of the 37 other Anglican provinces — New Zealand and Canada — have female bishops, although some allow women to serve in the post.

Asked how she would deal with such opposition, Jefferts Schori recalled a science research cruise she joined where the captain, who thought she didn't belong, vowed not to speak with her.

After 15 minutes on board, she said, "He got over it."

"I will bend over backward to build relationships with people who disagree with me," she said.

How the Anglican Communion will respond is unclear. The first test will come at a meeting of all the Anglican archbishops — called primates — next year in Tanzania.

The Rev. Canon Chris Sugden, a leader of Anglican Mainstream, a Church of England conservative group, said the election of Jefferts Schori "shows that the Episcopal leaders are going to do what they want to do regardless of what it means to the rest of the communion." The Church of England is in the midst of a difficult debate over whether to appoint woman bishops.

Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, head of the Anglican Communion Network, which represents 10 U.S. conservative dioceses and more than 900 parishes within the Episcopal Church, noted that three of its dioceses do not ordain women. The network, which is considering splitting from the denomination, has a meeting at the end of July to plan its next move.

"For the Anglican Communion worldwide, this election reveals the continuing insensitivity and disregard of the Episcopal Church for ... our global fellowship," Duncan said.

Still, the potential consequences did not dampen excitement about Jefferts Schori's election. Standing before cheering delegates to the General Convention, she said she was "awed and honored and deeply privileged to be elected." Outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold was at her side as she was introduced after closed-door balloting.

Episcopal bishops elected Jefferts Schori on the fifth ballot. She collected 95 votes, with 93 others split between the rest of the field — six candidates, all men. Other General Convention delegates confirmed the choice. Afterward, women priests and bishops could be seen celebrating and embracing in the convention hall.

Jefferts Schori, 52, is a former oceanographer who became a priest after federal funding for her work dried up and she was asked to fill in as a preacher at her local church.

"When I was growing up, girls didn't aspire to such things. Girls sang in the choir," she said. But preaching, she said, "led me to realize it was something I wanted to do."

She was ordained in 1994 and seven years later was chosen leader of the Diocese of Nevada. Married with one daughter, she is a licensed pilot who speaks Spanish and is known for her outreach to the Hispanic community. She will be installed to her nine-year term at a ceremony Nov. 4 in Washington National Cathedral.

The presiding bishop represents the Episcopal Church in meetings with other Anglican leaders and with leaders of other religious groups. But the presiding bishop's power is limited because of the democratic nature of the church. The General Convention is the top Episcopal policy-making body and dioceses elect their own bishops.

Jefferts Schori would not say whether she thought the church should enact a moratorium on gay bishops since the convention hadn't yet voted on the measure. The meeting ends Wednesday.

The new leader will inherit a shrinking church. Membership in the Episcopal Church, as in other mainline Protestant groups, has been declining for years and has remained predominantly white. More than a quarter of the parishioners are age 65 or older.
 
There are rumors that the Convention is going to approve an appology for electing the Bishop.

I am not happy.
 
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/12/121106nigeria.htm

Nigeria Moves To Make Meeting With Gays A Crime
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: December 11, 2006 5:00 pm ET

(Lagos) Legislation being considered by Nigeria's House of Representatives would make it a criminal offense to associate with known homosexuals.

The bill would make make any meeting between two or more people where one is gay a crime punishable up to five years behind bars.

The legislation adds to the growing isolation of gays and lesbians in the African nation where sodomy is illegal. In northern Nigeria, which is under Islamic law, homosexuality can be punishable by death and in the rest of the country by long prison terms.

Earlier this year Nigeria made it illegal for same-sex couples to go abroad to marry. When they return they could be imprisoned for five years. Even attending a gay wedding could result in imprisonment.

Civil rights advocates say the anti-gay laws contravene Nigeria's constitution and international law, but the country's LGBT population is so closeted and fearful there has been no opposition to the legislation from within the country.

The new bill has the support of Nigeria's Anglican Church which has been at the forefront of opposing gay clergy in the denomination.

Lawmakers say the bill is in reaction to South Africa's new law allowing same-sex couples to wed.

In Zimbabwe The South African move has resulted in a new wave of state sponsored homophobia.

In the weeks leading up to South Africa's historic vote making it the first country in Africa to legalize same-sex unions a delegation of 60 top South African officials were blasted over gay marriage when they arrived in Harare by State Security Minister, Didymus Mutasa.

In July government passed the "sexual deviancy" law making it a criminal offense for two people of the same sex to hold hands, hug, or kiss.

So these are the kinds of people you're trying to keep happy, so they don't split off of the church? To hell with them. If I were in charge, I'd boot them out!

I don't know what's more disgusting: the fact that there are Anglicans out there who would support this kind of crap, or the fact that there are Anglicans willing to compromise their values to try and make bigots like these stay. :eyebrow:
 
I am VERY disappointed. I have no words to express my feelings on this now.
 
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