LA Episcopal diocese OKs gay bishops and same-sex unions

The feud between liberals and conservatives within the worldwide Anglican Church has grown wider with the decision by the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese to call for the lifting of a moratorium on consecrating gay bishops.

Bishop J. Jon Bruno also told clergy in the diocese they could bless same-sex unions.

The 77-million-member Anglican Communion has been splintering since 2003, when the U.S. Episcopal Church consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
In 2006 at the urging of the titular head of the denomination, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Anglicans imposed a moratorium on elevating other gays to become bishops.

The Episcopal Church, the American branch of Anglicanism, signed onto the agreement as conservative parishes began leaving.

Last month the theologically conservative Diocese of Fort Worth voted to split from the liberal-leaning Episcopal Church, becoming the fourth whole diocese to leave the denomination. Last week the four dioceses and a handful of breakaway parishes founded the Anglican Church in North America - a move designed to remain within the Anglican communion but focus on conservative beliefs.

As the feud grew, LGBT Anglicans have said they were being marginalized.

On the weekend, the Los Angeles Diocese at its annual meeting overwhelmingly voted to call for the lifting of the moratorium.

The resolution stated that the moratorium violates church canons, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

The Rev. J. Edwin Bacon of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena called the moratorium “blatantly discriminatory.”

“It tells a lie about God’s love - radically inclusive love - for everyone.”

All Saints has a history of social activism. Bacon told the synod that he recalled as a child that a pastor told his congregation that racial segregation was God’s will. Bacon said that in the same way some Episcopalians today use the Bible to discriminate against gays and lesbians.

The weekend vote means the issue will be brought before the Episcopal Church national convention in July.