In the face of
international pressure that has only grown since the
consecration of gay bishop Gene Robinson in 2003, the
Episcopal Church is expected to step back from its
support of gays and lesbians. According to leaks from
a private meeting of bishops in North Carolina last week as
well as an e-mail circulated by the bishop of Arizona, the
U.S. bishops are apparently planning to present
resolutions at the Anglican Communion's General
Convention in June banning the blessing of same-sex
unions and repenting for the consecration
of Robinson, reports London's Daily Telegraph.
The Episcopal bishops are also planning to block
the consecration of a second gay bishop in California
if the diocese there elects a lesbian or gay man in
May. Of the seven candidates for the position, three are
openly gay.
The efforts are aimed at preventing a schism in
the worldwide Anglican Communion, of which the
Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch and which has been
roiled by differences over the inclusion of gay and lesbian
clergy and laypeople, with conservative branches in
Africa and Asia--and some American
parishes--threatening to bolt because of the issue.
Archbishop Rowan Williams, the head of the Anglican
Communion, has appealed to the U.S. branch to not move
forward with full inclusion of gays, saying most
recently that he didn't think the Communion could survive a split.
According to the e-mail from the Right Reverend
Kirk Smith of Arizona, the bishops do "not want to do
anything that would further jeopardize our standing
with the rest of the Communion," adding, "One might
say this represents a 'go slow' approach for our church.
Without backing away from decisions we have made, it
is nonetheless a clear message that we will work to
conform to the requests of the majority of the Anglican Communion.''
However, the general secretary of the Lesbian
and Gay Christian Movement said he doubts the bishops'
plans will meet with success at the General
Convention. The Reverend Richard Kirker told the Daily Telegraph, "Not even the General Convention can
stop the inevitable flow of history." (The Advocate)
