Monday, December 7, 2009

Gay Bishop Elected in LA

The more we move toward tolerance, the more relevant we become.

Rev_mary_glasspool The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has elected the first openly lesbian bishop since the national church lifted a ban that sought to bar gays and lesbians from the church's highest ordained ministry, the church announced.

Members of the church, who met here for their annual convention, elected the Reverend Canon Mary Glasspool, 55, who has maintained an open relationship with another woman since 1988.

Another gay candidate, the Reverend John Kirkley of San Francisco, withdrew late Friday, the church announcement said.

Glasspool received 153 votes in the clergy order and 203 lay votes, meeting the required majority of ballots after the Convention's necessary quorum was declared.

Consent to the election of Glasspool by the bishops and standing committees of the Episcopal Church's other 108 dioceses will now be requested under longstanding denominational procedures.

"I am very excited about the future of the whole Episcopal Church, and I see the Diocese of Los Angeles leading the way into that future," said Glasspool, a native of Staten Island, New York, whose father was also an Episcopal priest…

Inserted from <Raw Story>

I heartily applaud this move as a step forward for the Episcopal Church, because authentic Christianity is inclusive, not exclusive.

5 comments:

Lisa G. said...

This is the church I was baptized in - my uncle was an Episcopalian priest. He was a huge asshole, but I do admire the church for doing the right thing. On the other hand, the church that I attended growing up is one of the churches threatening to secede from the Anglican church because they are appointing gay bishops, which is part of the reason I no longer attend church, my uncle being a huge hypocrite being the other.

ivan said...

I shouldn't get cute with Democrats, but does that give her a Bishopric

Unknown said...

Before you applaud too loud, Tom, maybe you should re-read Paul's pastoral epistles.

The Moose said...

Inclusiveness and condonation are not synonyms.

TomCat said...

That's funny Lisa, as I was baptized there too, as a pre-teen. When I was a small child I had an allergic reaction to the Salk polio vaccine when if first came out. My father's 'born again" pastors were afraid to come into our home, but an Episcopal priest came and sat with me for three days. We remained friends until he died when I was 18.

Oh Ivan!!! AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Brother, we'll likely disagree here, but based on my study of textual criticism, I do not consider the pastoral epistles Pauline. Several of the linguistic constructs were not in common use until the third and fourth centuries and significant passages were plagiarized from Philo of Alexandria. Thus, I think their inclusion in the cannon was more based on the politics of Nicea that providential inspiration.

Hiya Rodent!! I agree. But to failure to include invites condemnation.