National gay
rights group the Human Rights Campaign is demanding an
apology from the Episcopal seminary dean who equated the
possible election of an openly gay bishop in
California to "a terrorist bomb which is timed to
destroy a peace process." The remark, by
the Reverend Paul Zahl, dean of Trinity Episcopal
School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pa., refers to the
fact that three of the seven candidates in
contention for bishop of California are gay or
lesbian. A vote is scheduled for this weekend.
HRC's religion and faith director, Harry Knox,
said Thursday, "Reverend Zahl should apologize for
spouting such harmful rhetoric in the middle of an
open and honest conversation happening in the life of
the church."
The worldwide Anglican faith, which has 77
million followers in 164 countries and of which the
Episcopal Church is the American branch, has been
divided between conservatives and moderates since the
election of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire
in 2003, making him the first openly gay bishop in the
denomination. (Sirius OutQ News)