Just as the Catholic Church is dealing with the ‘homosexual’ issue in a high-profile pronouncement, the Episcopal Church is also debating gay issues.
As Windy City Times went to press, the 74th Episcopal General Convention was being held in Minneapolis. Voting delegates from the U.S. and observers from the worldwide Anglican community will determine policy toward its gay and lesbian members. Committees will vote on whether or not to confirm the church’s first openly gay bishop, the Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, and debate a proposal for a liturgy that blesses same-sex unions.
On Sunday, for the first time in history, and by a two-to-one margin, both the clergy and laity of the House of Deputies, the lower house of the church’s legislative body, did vote for Robinson. But the House of Bishops have to ratify the decision, and their vote was Monday, after WCT went to press.
Some conservative U.S. bishops have threatened to break from the church if Robinson is confirmed and the church backs same-sex unions.
See next week’s WCT for details.