US parishes defect as gay rift deepens (US Episcopal Church)

[Khephra]

The leader of the US Episcopal Church told Ugandan Anglican bishops yesterday to keep out of its affairs after three Los Angeles parishes decided to ally themselves with an African diocese in the row over homosexual clergy.

The parishes, in Newport Beach, Long Beach and North Hollywood, are the first to seek oversight from a bishop overseas. They have fallen out with the Rt Rev J Jon Bruno, the Bishop of Los Angeles, because of his support for blessing services for gay couples. He has warned the parishes' ministers that they may be deposed.

In defiance of Anglican traditions of episcopal authority, the Rt Rev Evans Kisekka, Bishop of Luwero, in Uganda, has said he will act as the parishes' bishop, while the Most Rev Henry Orombi, the Archbishop of Uganda, has also backed the US dissidents.

Yesterday, Frank Griswold, the US church's presiding bishop, said: "The bishops of the Anglican Communion and the primates ... have made it clear that bishops are to respect the boundaries of one another's dioceses and provinces."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1292756,00.html

[aquart]

1. Ahhh, Bigotry for God.

Ain't it heavenly.

[stepnw1f]

2. Actually...

These are the non-believers pretending to believe. Maybe this is "Judgement Day".

[lapfog_1]

3. Wow

Newport Beach and Long Beach I sort of understand, but the parish
of North Hollywood? Objects to blessing services for gay couples???
WTF?

[despairing optimist]

4. Organized religion strikes again

As a recovering Catholic, I believe that somewhere in Hell, God and the Devil are having a good laugh.

This whole gay row is up there with the angels dancing on the head of a pin and the wheat/non-wheat content of communion wafers for people with allergies.

And how can I forget Aquinas's (or was it Augustine's) establishment of the precise point when a fetus becomes a human and possesses a soul.

God has a lot of explaining to do.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. As a previous thread on this subject revealed

only about 1/73 of all the Episcopal parishes in the country are defecting. The rest are cool with full equality for GLBT members.

My parish has a lot of gay and lesbian couples, as well as a transsexual rock singer. It's no big deal.