Church Near Breaking Point over Gay Priests

World Anglicans frown on homosexuals among top US Episcopalians
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 20, 2007 5:43 PM CDT
Church Near Breaking Point over Gay Priests
Gene Robinson, of New Hampshire, the Episcopal church's first openly-gay bishop, speaks in favor of civil unions during a public hearing before the state Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday, April 10, 2007, at the Statehouse in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)   (Associated Press)

US Episcopal bishops are about to sit down to talk with leaders of the greater Anglican communion on the simmering issue of homosexuality within the church, but the fact that a lesbian is under serious consideration as a candidate for bishop of Chicago may be a signal that the Americans are not budging. The church's spiritual head—the Archbishop of Canterbury—has urged its American wing to stop blessing same-sex couples and electing homosexual bishops.

When the Archbishop of Canterbury arrives for the New Orleans tete-a-tete, it will be his first appearance before the American clergy since an openly gay bishop was consecrated in New Hampshire in 2003. 53 US denominations that consider themselves Anglican no longer commune with Canterbury because of the issue; churches in Africa have led conservative opposition. (More gay marriage stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X