Episcopal Church Consecrates First Openly Lesbian Bishop

[cappie]

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The Episcopal Church consecrated its first openly lesbian bishop Saturday in the face of objections from some conservative Anglicans.

The Rev. Mary Glasspool, 56, is a new bishop surrounded by controversy.

Conservative factions in the Anglican Communion, a 77 million-member denomination worldwide that includes the Episcopal Church, have opposed the ordination of gay bishops.

Glasspool is the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church since Gene Robinson took office in New Hampshire in 2004. Episcopalians instituted a temporary ban on gay bishops after Robinson's ordination but revoked that ban last summer.

The daughter of a priest, Glasspool was one of two openly gay candidates on the slate in the Los Angeles diocese. She has said that her sexual orientation is "not an issue."

Bishop Jon Bruno of Los Angeles called Glasspool, an ordained priest for 28 years, a "highly qualified and experienced" cleric.

"She's not afraid of conflict and is a reconciler," Bruno said, according to the Episcopal Church website.

He added that Glasspool and her partner of 19 years, Becki Sander, are an example of living service and ministry.

Glasspool is the second female bishop in the 114-year history of the Los Angeles diocese, consecrated just hours after the first, the Rev. Diane Bruce, was consecrated Saturday.

Glasspool's consecration drew opposition from Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who said Glasspool's ordination would deepen rifts in the Church.

It "raises very serious questions not just for the Episcopal Church and its place in the Anglican Communion, but for the Communion as a whole," said Rowan, according to the church's website.

The Church of Ireland also issued a strong condemnation. That church is part of the Anglican Communion in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

"We wish to express sorrow that Mary Glasspool, a person who is living in a same-sex relationship, is to be consecrated," the Church of Ireland said in a statement. "The elevation to senior church leadership of a person whose lifestyle is contrary to the will of God revealed in scripture is both wrong and disappointing."

Conservatives said the Episcopal Church was taking a provocative step that amounts to a deliberate snub to those in the church who believe homosexuality is a sin.

[Vincent Vega]

It's like Greyhound is buying airline tickets and handing them out for free.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='cappie' date='15 May 2010 - 11:22 PM' timestamp='1273987333' post='2111331']
. . . The Episcopal Church consecrated its first openly lesbian bishop Saturday in the face of objections from some conservative Anglicans. . . .
[/quote]
This action should help to stabilize the situation in the Anglican Communion.

[Bennn]

I hope this will inspire those who take the faith at least a bit serious back to Holy Mother Church. This false 'consecration' is an insult to the sacred Priesthood of Christ. It is a mockery to God.

[Hilde]

Maybe if they act insane enough people will be drawn to the Catholic church to seek out something more orthodox.

[Bennn]

All that just to 'prove' that they can live in sin, offending God and get away with it.
Their subjective truths melt away like snow before the Face of God. I'll pray for them.

[peregrinus_WA]

Another crack in the foundation built on sand call protestantism.

[Bennn]

A sad thing also is that people such as IgnatiusofLoyola from teh phorum get a bad name because of these ridiculous circus-acts. (A subtle hint to convince her to hop over to Catholicism, by the way. )

[The Dusk Man]

[quote name='cappie' date='16 May 2010 - 12:22 AM' timestamp='1273987333' post='2111331']

The daughter of a priest, Glasspool was one of two openly gay candidates on the slate in the Los Angeles diocese. [u][b]She has said that her sexual orientation is "not an issue."[/b][/u]
[/quote]

That's like a 5-year old boy with a hammer walking into a store full of glass statues and me telling the owners "It won't be an issue" while the kid eyeballs everything with destructive interest. You know problems will happen.



[quote name='Apotheoun' date='16 May 2010 - 02:26 AM' timestamp='1273994774' post='2111353']
This action should help to stabilize the situation in the Anglican Communion.
[/quote]

But dude, it is "not an issue".

[MithLuin]

The way bishops are selected is that a panel of delegates votes on candidates to select the new ones. The election took place on Dec. 8th in Los Angelus to fill two vacancies. So, when they voted for Glasspool, they had to act as if it were 'not an issue' despite knowing that the rest of the church around the world would consider it a big deal. They had to get national approval before the ordinations could happen, but not [i]international[/i] approval. These were the first two female bishops in the Episcopalian church, too, so I think that is also significant for their understanding of the priesthood.

This issue is not going to 'go away' - either the Episcopalian church has zero issues with the gay lifestyle and considers it not to be a sin to live with someone in this manner...or, it is a sin, and thus scandalous to have priests and bishops living in this way. You can't have both at once. A split in the church over this is nearly inevitable. There are those within the Episcopalian communion who think it should not be an issue because it is a sideline to, say, the Apostles' Creed (the common beliefs that unite the church), but I don't see the two opinions coexisting.

But before we Catholics congratulate ourselves too much and say 'come home' we should probably consider this to be a glimpse of an issue Catholics will have to deal with in the future in America, too. I'm not suggesting that we're going to ordain openly gay bishops. But opposition to the gay lifestyle by the Church is likely going to contribute to dissent - which may someday lead to a split of an 'American Catholic Church' or something of that nature. There are enough dissenters in the Church now that mean we are not immune to these problems, and there are priests among them.

[HisChildForever]

[quote name='MithLuin' date='16 May 2010 - 09:23 AM' timestamp='1274016214' post='2111395']
But before we Catholics congratulate ourselves too much and say 'come home' we should probably consider this to be a glimpse of an issue Catholics will have to deal with in the future in America, too. I'm not suggesting that we're going to ordain openly gay bishops. But opposition to the gay lifestyle by the Church is likely going to contribute to dissent - which may someday lead to a split of an 'American Catholic Church' or something of that nature. There are enough dissenters in the Church now that mean we are not immune to these problems, and there are priests among them.
[/quote]

Plenty of liberal, cafeteria Catholics fill the pews every Sunday and seem uninterested in making a pretend Catholic Church. To them, the Church is more of a culture than a religion - and who just picks up and leaves their culture? Also, I feel that a lot of the teachings they disagree with are contraception, abortion, and homosexuality which they probably believe are "side issues" - you know, as long as I go to Mass and believe in the Eucharist, God will not be concerned when my spouse and I use a contraceptive. If there would be a split, it would have to be a rebellion against the hierarchy - the group would hotly argue for women's ordination and one thing would lead to another. But women's ordination is just not enough for them to stand on. Still, the Church stands on over 2,000 years of Tradition - one cannot break away from the Church and attempt to devise a convincing argument with 2,000 years of sound moral doctrine staring them in the face. In other words, I do not think a pretend Catholic Church would result in success (i.e. a bunch of these churches popping up across the country). As an aside, even homosexuals who were raised Catholic still consider themselves Catholic, or take an overall fuzzy feeling approach to religion. Just my experience. Oh and the above is centered around liberal Catholics. One could argue that sedevacants have been successful, but they seem to use Church teaching and history as opposed to dismissing it the way liberals do.

[Hilde]

If someone within the church(cue someone correcting me on that) dislikes it it is an issue, I don't really understand that statement. I can't interpret in a way that is not arrogant.

We've also had a lesbian bishop, but she's retired.

Edited May 16, 2010 by Hilde

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Apotheoun' date='16 May 2010 - 02:26 AM' timestamp='1273994774' post='2111353']
This action should help to stabilize the situation in the Anglican Communion.
[/quote]
Isn't it great? It worked so well when Gene Robinson came in. Look at how their service attendance skyrocketed!
Of course we can't forget how well the atheist bishop, John Shelby Spong, has converted millions to the ever vibrant Episcopalian community.

[MIKolbe]

classy!

[CatherineM]

This could also be the death knell of all gay churches like the MCC. I mean why bother when you can get everything you want in the Episcopalian church.