Reversing earlier
vote, Episcopal Church adopts resolution urging
restraint regarding gay bishops

The U.S. Episcopal Church did an about face on Wednesday on the issue of ordaining any more gay bishops. The last-minute move at the church's convention was aimed at preserving unity within the worldwide Anglican Communion. For eight days, delegates to the Episcopal Church's triennial convention in Columbus, Ohio, have wrangled over the contentious issue of ordaining bishops who are openly gay. The issue came to a head in 2003 with the consecration of Gene Robinson as the bishop of New Hampshire. Robinson is the first bishop known to be in an openly gay relationship in more than 450 years of Anglican church history. In an attempt to prevent a split with the worldwide Anglican community, delegates agreed to a compromise yesterday that reversed a decision made Tuesday by one of the Episcopal gathering's legislative bodies, which had rejected a temporary ban against gay bishops. In the closing hours of the convention, a resolution was adopted by both the church's bishops and by lay and clergy diocesan representatives "to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate [for bishop] whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion." The vote came after outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and his newly elected replacement Katharine Jefferts Schori pleaded with deputies to approve something that would signal they understand the anger of Anglican leaders. Immediately after the vote, Bishop John Chane of the Diocese of Washington, D.C., said he was at least one bishop who would not follow the non-binding resolution. (Sirius OutQ News)