The Episcopal
Church's general convention opens today in Columbus, Ohio,
at which the church's conservative wing will be pushing for
repentance over consecrating an openly gay bishop
three years ago. The worldwide Anglican Communion
remains roiled by the American branch's elevation of
Gene Robinson to bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, and those
concerned about a permanent schism in the church over
gays are watching the triennial meeting of the
Episcopal governing body closely, The Times of London reports.
The former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey
of Clifton, recently warned in a lecture at a Virginia
theological seminary that if the Episcopal Church did
not agree at the convention to a moratorium on the
ordination of gay priests and the blessing of same-sex
unions, the Anglican Communion itself would split once
and for all, according to The Times. He called
the consecration of Robinson "alarming and distressing."
Other conservatives are calling for Episcopals
to repent for consecrating Robinson in the first
place. In an article written for the
orthodox Anglican Mainstream group, the Reverend Martyn
Minns of Virginia says that he and the team he is
bringing to the convention will "pray hard" for
"repentance" for that action, according to The Times.
Some of the 7,200 parishes and missions that
make up the Episcopal Church have already left the
church over the issue, but many people have also
flocked to the church in support. What happens this week
will likely increase the polarization. (The
Advocate)
