Episcopal Church Consecrates Lesbian Bishop, Angering Anglicans Again

Is exclusion from the Anglican Communion imminent?

With this second consecration there is little doubt that the Episcopal Church, in an act of defiance, is thumbing its nose at Canterbury, the Anglican Communion and Christian orthodoxy.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - The clouds of incense had hardly settled at St. John's Cathedral in Los Angeles when the reactions were posted from around the world. Mary Glasspool, a practicing lesbian who lives with her partner, had just been consecrated a bishop in the Episcopal Church, elected to serve in the Diocese of Los Angeles.

The event, attended by over 3,000 communicants, also included the consecration of a second woman bishop, Diane Jardine Bruce, who will also serve as a suffragan.

Glasspool told Reuters Television, during an interview, that she was ready to meet with her critics. "I am a reconciling person and I will seek to reach out and engage with people who believe or think differently than I do, and to try to build a relationship with them."

Although the response from the Archbishop of Canterbury was mild in comparison to others, Anglican watchers are waiting for possible action. After the consecration of an openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson, in 2003 the Communion sent a shot across the bow, warning The Episcopal Church (TEC) about their actions.

With this second consecration there is little doubt that TEC, in an act of defiance, is thumbing its nose at Canterbury and the entire communion; as well as Christian orthodoxy.

For stalwart Episcopalians who were waiting for the proverbial "one more thing" to force them out of the church, this past weekend may have been that "thing."

The Anglican Church in North America, which has consolidated many of what had been called "Continuing Anglican Churches," has gained a great deal of credibility on the world stage. They may find many more knocking on their doors this week.

The invitation of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to Anglicans worldwide, through the Apostolic Constitution, may also be seen as a light of hope not only among Episcopalians in America, but also Anglicans from around the globe who see their communion falling into passivity and disarray.

What the Anglican Communion will actually do is anyone's guess. Jonathan Wynne-Jones, in the London Daily Telegraph predicts that they will do nothing.

"While it may well be true that some form of tear did occur in the communion following Robinson's consecration, life has gone on. And, despite Rowan Williams' warning last year that the American Church's decision to elect Glasspool could threaten unity, they've heard that one before.

"This quote from Peter Jensen, the Archbishop of Sydney, says it all: "With the election of the Reverend Mary Glasspool, a partnered lesbian, as a bishop in Los Angeles in The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion reaches another decisive moment."

"Yes, another decisive moment. Another yellow card, but never a red."

Despite this cynical view regarding the resolution of the Communion, orthodox Anglicans are registering strong reaction to the consecration. Anglican journalist David Virtue, of VirtueOnline, has compiled a very comprehensive list of responses, which follows.

Rt. Rev. Dr. H. William Godfrey, Bishop of the The Anglican Church of Peru, condemned the action as "against all the teaching of Scripture and the Church."

"The decision of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America to consecrate as a bishop a woman in a sexually active lesbian relationship is gravely concerning and wrong," he wrote to VirtueOnline.

"The Bishops of the Anglican Communion have consistently made clear the moral teaching of the Church in this respect, that practicing homosexual and lesbian relationships, and practicing heterosexual relations outside marriage, are incompatible with Christian teaching. With this clear discernment they have implored the Episcopal Church NOT to go ahead with the consecration of a person in such a relationship.

"By its actions the Episcopal Church of the United States has disregarded the authority and teaching of the Scriptures; rejected the teaching and witness of the Church since the time of the Apostles; distanced itself from its brothers and sisters, rejecting their appeals and warnings; and has set itself only on its own course, rather than the way of Christ.

"The Anglican Church of Peru deeply laments this action of the Episcopal Church and distances itself from its false testimony and actions."

Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor, and Canon Dr. Chris Sugden Executive Secretary of Anglican Mainstream, Britain's leading orthodox Anglican Online News Service condemned the consecration of Glasspool. They are convinced that this was not just a random act but that President Bishop Jefferts Schori has made up her mind about such consecrations.

"Sadly, this shows that TEC has now explicitly decided to walk apart from most of the rest of the Communion. Since that decision by TEC has to be respected, it should result in three consequences.

"First, TEC withdrawing, or being excluded from the Anglican Communion's representative bodies.

"Second, a way must be found to enable those orthodox Anglicans who remain within TEC to continue in fellowship with the Churches of the worldwide Communion.

"Third, the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) should now be recognized as an authentic Anglican Church within the Communion."

The Right Rev Robinson Cavalcanti, Bishop of the Diocese of Recife, Brazil stated "The Diocese of Recife reaffirms its most vehement condemnation of the said consecration and aligns itself with orthodox Anglican currents by demanding an urgent meeting of the Primates, the non-presence of TEC representatives in official organs of the Anglican Communion, support for the minority faithful to the Word of God who continue within TEC, and the recognition of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) as a legitimate Anglican Province."

The Church of Ireland Evangelical Fellowship, the Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy, New Wine (Ireland) and Reform Ireland said the consecration of Mary Glasspool to bishop suffragan in the Diocese of Los Angeles was "a clear rejection of the many pleas for gracious restraint" made by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the Windsor Report and the recent meeting of Global South Primates in Singapore.

Bishop John Harrower, Anglican Bishop of Tasmania stated, "I could not have said it any better than the Irish condemnations of today's ordination in Los Angeles of a partnered lesbian as a bishop.

"This is not just another cut in Anglicanism's 'death by a thousand cuts' but the gathering pace of the self mutilation of TEC. I suggest this is not just a cut, but a mortal wound.

"A sad day for worldwide Anglicans who worked for a solution to this crisis via the authority of the Scriptures, the Lambeth Conference of Bishops, the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury and 'the listening process'."

In David Virtue's analysis of the event, he writes, "I am told from a Communion Partner bishop that the Archbishop of Canterbury is preparing a statement for the Anglican Communion about this heretical consecration. We wait with bated breath.

"It is over. Whatever the Archbishop of Canterbury proposes by way of compromise will fail if he does not expressly delegitimize TEC, uninvite them to future primatial gatherings and recognize ACNA.

"From the perspective of Scripture, we have been warned about false prophets and false teachings, and the dangers of associating with those who promote the same. So long as the Presiding Bishop and the majority of TEC bishops believe their actions and innovations are "prophetic" and driven by the Holy Spirit, they not only endanger their own souls but ours also. The way forward is the way back."

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Randy Sly is the Associate Editor of Catholic Online. He is a former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church who laid aside that ministry to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

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