Episcopal
Presiding Bishop: Church Should Take Focus Off Gay Issues

The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States says church members unhappy with the ordination of a gay bishop in New Hampshire should worry about more pressing world problems.

''Obviously a handful of our church leaders are still upset and would like to see the church never ordain and never baptize a gay or lesbian person,'' Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said at the convention of Vermont's Episcopal diocese. ''We need to refocus on more life-and-death issues like starvation, education, medical care.''

Jefferts Schori was referring to the 2003 election in New Hampshire of Gene Robinson as that state's Episcopal bishop. Her talk came shortly after the Pittsburgh Episcopal diocese voted to take the first step toward splitting off from the national church.

Pittsburgh joined dioceses in San Joaquin, Calif., and Quincy, Ill., in granting preliminary approval to separating from the national church. The dioceses contend the national church has wrongly abandoned scriptural authority, which traditionally has been viewed as condemning gay sex.

Jefferts Schori said she had written a letter warning Pittsburgh bishop Robert Duncan she would discipline him if he continued to support measures that would lead to Pittsburgh's departure from the church.

''It is an unfortunate thing to have to do, but it is a necessary thing to do,'' Jefferts Schori said. (AP)