Episcopals to debate gay marriage, consecration of gay bishops

[WillParkinson]

Episcopals to debate gay marriage, consecration of gay bishops

(Anaheim, Calif.) The Episcopal Church’s national convention will take up whether the church will approve religious ceremonies for same-sex couples and whether gay bishops should be consecrated, reports UPI.

“It’s important that we recognize the equal stature of all Christians in the church so that we model that type of inclusivity in civil society,” Bishop Marc Andrus of the Diocese of California said.

This is the first national convention of the Episcopal Church in three years. The Episcopal Church, with 2.1 million members, is the U.S. branch of the global Anglican communion, which has 77 million members, many of them religious conservatives in Africa. The church has been divided over the consecration of gay bishops since the ordination of Rev. Gene Robinson in 2003.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has tried to hold the fragile communion together by getting churches to observe a voluntary moratorium on consecrating another openly gay bishop and developing prayers for same-sex unions. But many fear a split is inevitable.

http://www.365gay.com/news/episcopals-to-debate-gay-marriage-consecration-of-gay-bishops/

[Jane Austin]

1. Members of the Episcopal Church are Episcopalians, not Episcopals.

Thanks for this report.

[kwassa]

2. we call ourselves Episcopals

takes a few extra syllables out of the process.

In fact, I don't know any that calls themselves Episcopalian, but your mileage might vary.

[Jane Austin]

3. Odd. In my 65 years of being one, I've never heard another

member refer to themselves as "Episcopals".

[kwassa]

4. Resolution D025 passed, which mean gays can hold any post anywhere in the Episcopal Church

up to and including Presiding Bishop of the entire church.

This is the church standing up for it's own beliefs against much of the Anglican Communion, and might result in schism.

[xchrom]

5. and i say let them go.

the vast majority of episcopal congregations would really rather get on with other business than conservatives wetting their pants over ordained women, gay folk, etc.

a schism doesn't have to be a bad thing if people will take the proverbial bull by the horns and move on.

[kwassa]

6. I agree.

Nothing is gained by any other action. We stand up for the right and true direction.

Our polity can't be dictated by bigots from other parts of the world.

[xchrom]

7. to let it go on is to reach state even more

ridiculous than now.

the episcopal church -- as i gather you know -- is a wonderful place -- the people are in a wonderful -- let's stop beating a dead horse -- it's unseemly.

[kwassa]

8. and they don't realize their horse has died!

:rofl:

[xchrom]

9. ...

:spray:

[Tyo]

10. Wasn't the Anglican Church born of schism?

Maybe schism is what it will take to renew it. Or I suppose it could just as easily destroy it. Not that it matters much to me one way or the other, but I admit that as far as Christians go I've always had a soft spot for Anglicans in spite of everything.