EPISCOPALIANS TO MEET ON GAY UNIONS: From the Deseret Morning News

After nearly a year and a half of dealing with the fallout over the ordination of the faith's first openly gay bishop, the Episcopal Church's top leaders will gather in Salt Lake City next week to discuss how to respond to the outrage of millions of fellow Anglicans worldwide.

The Episcopal House of Bishops -- made up of scores of U.S. church leaders -- will convene here Wednesday and Thursday, and the top items on their agenda include two proposed moratoriums: one on the future ordination of gay bishops living in a same-sex relationship, and another on formal blessing rites for same-sex couples.

The bishops will also consider whether to issue -- and if so, how to word -- a formal apology for the uproar their decision in August 2003 has caused within the 77 million member worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Episcopal Church is one small division within Anglicanism, representing some 2.3 million members. Largely conservative in membership, the majority of Anglicans view the action by American bishops as an act of hubris that defies biblical teaching against homosexuality.

Eighteen months ago, the group voted to allow ordination of V. Gene Robinson as Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, despite the fact that he is openly gay and living in a longtime relationship with his partner. Bishop Robinson was formally installed in his new post last year. He is viewed as a high-profile advocate for gay rights.

more
posted by Eve at 7:41 AM | Link |

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home