Ordaining Gays Divides Anglican Bishops
Pastor Dale Morgan
Ordaining Gays Divides Anglican Bishops*
Sep 14 11:43 AM US/Eastern
By RACHEL ZOLL
AP Religion Writer
NEW YORK
Anglican/Episcopal bishops at odds over homosexuality ended a private
meeting Wednesday saying they had failed to reach agreement over
dioceses that reject the authority of the church's incoming national
leader, who supports gay relationships.
The 11 bishops said they "were unable to come to common agreement on the
way forward," although they recognized the need to accommodate the
dissenting dioceses.
"The level of openness and charity in this conference allow us to pledge
to hold one another in prayer and to work together until we have reached
the solution God holds out for us," the bishops said in a statement.
They did not say whether another meeting was planned.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the
world Anglican Communion, had asked the U.S. bishops to hold the talks.
He is struggling to keep the Anglican family unified despite deep rifts
over whether same-gender partnerships violate Scripture.
The Episcopal Church is the U.S. arm of the Anglican fellowship.
In 2003, the American denomination caused an uproar when it consecrated
its first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. This
past June, the divisions intensified when the Episcopal General
Convention elected a new presiding bishop who approves of ordaining
partnered gays. Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first woman
to lead the church, will be installed Nov. 4.
Now, seven conservative dioceses are asking Williams for alternative
oversight from an Anglican leader who shares their traditional views.
The dioceses are Dallas; Central Florida; Fort Worth, Texas; Fresno,
Calif.; Pittsburgh; Springfield, Ill., and South Carolina.
Among the bishops who participated in the three-day talks were Jefferts
Schori and Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, leader of a network of
Episcopal conservatives who are considering breaking away from the
denomination. Williams also sent a representative.
Conservatives are a minority in the 2.3-million-member U.S. church, but
a split could still cause extensive damage. Episcopal leaders fear a
break will prompt expensive and bitter legal fights over parishes that
take their property with them when they leave.
Worldwide, Williams has proposed giving Anglican churches with
nontraditional views on issues like gay clergy a lesser role in the
communion under a two-tiered system meant to prevent a schism.
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On the Net:
Episcopal Church: http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/