Episcopal Church Ousts 61 Clergy In Gay Bishop Dispute

FRESNO, Calif. — National leaders of the Episcopal Church have ousted 61 clergy who aligned with a former bishop in California when he broke with the national church in a dispute over the Bible and homosexuality.

Former Bishop John-David Schofield led the Diocese of San Joaquin to become the first full diocese to secede from the U.S. denomination in 2007. Four years earlier, Episcopalians consecrated their first openly gay bishop, setting off a wide-ranging debate within the church and upsetting conservative congregations.

Schofield ultimately was removed as head of the diocese and barred from performing any religious rites. He maintains he is an Anglican bishop under the worldwide church.

Episcopal leaders said Wednesday they were deposing all clergy who severed their ties and joined Schofield in affiliating with an Anglican archdiocese in Argentina.

Jerry Lamb, the new Episcopal Bishop of San Joaquin, called the decision to oust the clergy "heartbreaking."

"But, the fact is, they chose to abandon their relationship with the Episcopal Church," he said.

Schofield said in a statement Wednesday that Anglican leaders across the globe recognized the deposed clergy as priests and deacons in good standing.

"Clearly, the traditional understanding of what it means to be a member of this historic Communion has been tragically altered by this action," he said. "The Episcopal Church needlessly isolates itself from their brothers and sisters around the world."

In December, the breakaway diocese joined with three others and dozens of individual parishes in the U.S. and Canada to announce that they were forming a North American Anglican province to rival the Episcopal Church. Schofield said Wednesday that 23 dioceses now plan to affiliate with the new province.

Its future status in the worldwide Anglican Communion is unclear. It's unprecedented for an Anglican national province to be created where a national church already exists.

Comments

[JL-PICARD]

Organized religion is all a crock anyway. A crutch used by the weak minded who need to believe in a fictional mommy or daddy in the the sky that looks out for them.

[chicagomike]

I'm a convinced atheist who happens to love Episcopal holiday services, especially Christmas and Easter. An amazing number of Episcopal churches across the country (so-called "High Church" congregations) put on a magnificent musical show on these occasions and many on every Sunday -- I've attended services in the SF Bay Area, Chicago, NY, DC, Louisville and elsewhere just for the music and architecture.

Sure, it's medieval, but it can be magical, thrilling...even spiritual. And I've met some very nice folks, too.

[JakeMontero]

i'm not sure there is a god but I'm sure you are a M0ron

[WowJones]

They've got to get rid of those costumes. I thought that was a k lan rally.

[elmerfude]

That's what I thought also. Looks like a clan rally from the past.

[PiscesPrincess]

my immediate reaction was the Clan. sad and silly. to wear outfits like that in this day and age.

[Freethinker09]

There is not one word in support of homosexuality anywhere in the Bible.

And many words that condemn it.

The ousted Priests are just being persecuted by people that have no right to be in the Church in the first place.

Wheat and the weeds. The Priests walking are the wheat.

[blukazoo]

People will read the words in a bible and interperet them to mean whatever they want.

[scottyknows]

Especially when it says ho.mo.se.xuality is an ab.om.in.ation to God. What in the world could that mean?

[PiscesPrincess]

where's the link. I want you to tell us Where in the Bible is says anything about homosexuality.
and remember, that stuff was written when the earth was in desperate need of more folks.
back then it was breed breed breed.
so, logically, if you were doing it with the sheep or other guys' well, bad thing.
and now? in this world where there are Far too many folks.

[kylennblack]

And many words to support genocide. Nice book.

[chicagomike]

If only people like you -- who profess that the Bible is God's unalterable Word -- would actually read the Bible. The whole Bible. You select homosexuality as a stated "abomination," and the Bible does say so. But what about all the social teachings of Jesus that you ignore? They are there too, IN PRINT, just like God said them. Right?

[chasmader]

This really needed to happen.

What needs to happen next is for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Monarch of England, as heads of the Anglican Communion, to also come out and publicly condemn these break-away priests and parishes.

[PiscesPrincess]

Huh? ain't gonna happen. dream on.

[JeffRob]

"Clearly, the traditional understanding of what it means to be a member of this historic Communion has been tragically altered by this action," he said.

As a gay man, I'm flattered that the debate over our basic equality has has such a profound effect on such an ancient organization. The Episcopal Church has truly shown bravery and resolve in this fight. They are to be commended.

"The Episcopal Church needlessly isolates itself from their brothers and sisters around the world."

"Needlessly"?? Now that's just insulting. The glbt youth that now won't contemplate suicide, or now won't fall in to a long-lasting depression because their church has chosen not to teach them they're filthy and godless, and not to coldly isolate them from their community, would beg to differ.

[Olbys Ag'Schooldiploma]

the children will be safe for now.

[springsm]

See, it is ignorance like yours that keep this hate going. I pity you...but I certainly think you will be in church Sunday as pious as usual.

[mapman]

There are three parishes in our Diocese of Central New York. that have gone renegade because of the Bishop Robinson issue.

But if you read the poisonous blogs from these parishes and their ilk, you can tell that there is a whole lot more in their agenda, and screaming about Bp. Robinson is just their disingenuous way of hiding that agenda. behind a smokescreen of manufactured outrage.

If you can stomach reading the blogs "TitusOneNine" or "Stand Firm" or, the most nauseating of all, "Undercurrent of Hostility," you'll see that these characters are nothing but wholly-owned subsidiaries of Fox News hiding behind masks of oh-so-orthodox piety.

[ChristopherAtom]

Why is this in politics?

[zizyphus]

Religion IS politics.

[zizizzi]

Yes it is... thanks for pointing that out!

[mapman]

Exactly.

It is instructive to remember that the Nicene Creed, which many of us mindlessly recite every Sunday, was originally intended as a "Pledge of Allegiance" to Emperor Constantine.

[ChristopherAtom]

Religion = Spirituality based lie.
Politics = Reality based lie.
Big difference. I'm just sayin'.

[LHibbard]

And the schism starts (sigh)...

Don't they realize that in twenty years it's going to be pointless?

[TwoSpirits]

The schism started long ago. This is nothing new.

[scottyknows]

Sin has been around since the beginning.

[ChristopherAtom]

I'll bite. What's going to happen in 20 years?

[puffthedragon]

When I first glanced the photo I thought is was a kkk rally.

[mnyobpres]

Religion is NOT inclusive, it is expressive and doctrinated....if you don't believe the way they do, then you are NOT a true believer. RELIGION!!

[MsLiz]

Which side do you consider the excluders? The mainstream church which has decided to include gays as fully functional priests? Or the former bishop and priests who rejected the mainstream church and have been deposed?

[ChristopherAtom]

Much as I hate to agree with you, you are right about inclusion within religion in that all religious groups need followers in order to exist, hence the multitude of Mega-churches. But regardless of that fact, it's still larges swaths of the population following a allegorical myth. No better than Scientology. I don't think religion is evil but passive aggressive preaching in a "do as I say not as I do" reality, rampant pedophilia, and the vast amounts of monetary funds swallowed up by these pious spirituality vampires, is getting old. Humanity is all growed up and the training wheels are coming off.

[cbates]

It is not hate and bigotry when your religion expressedly states in its referenced document that homosexuality is against God's will for mankind. Even though there is much more sin going on within our lives, to be forced to accept a sin that is abhorent to many is like pushing water up hill with you bare hands. I think because we have a secular government you can not stop people from forming a union with all the rights and benefiits seen or realized in a marriage. If you ask me to marry you in God's name then it is going against or forcing government to rule over religion or to force your religion to resemble your government.

[jaggok]

Adultery is also against God's will and yet we don't see the treatment of adulterers like we do of homosexuals.

[mysistagirl]

Probably because you don't see the practitioners of adultery organizing and demanding that the church change their position on adultery being a sin.

Adulterers KNOW that what they do is wrong, especially from a biblical standpoint, so they just kind of do what they do and don't get in the church's face about it, trying to twist it into some justifiable behavior. And they certainly don't resort to the argument that God made them adulterers.

[MsLiz]

I assume you are referring to the Old Testament. Please note revisions by the New Testament. Love thy neighbor.

[Diogenis]

wow.......! You must be proud of yourself

[JL-PICARD]

Then why do people like you love to use Leviticus in your homophobic arguments?

[pfrogger]

here's another story about the church:

Ireland deeply shocked by abuse revelations
Report implicates 800 brothers, nuns and lay people in decades-long abuse of institutionalized children.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/ireland/090521/institutionalized-children-abuse

[jlarue]

That was the Roman Catholic church..not Episcopalian. Pretty standard fare for them really

[MsLiz]

The RCs at the Vatican considered pedophilia to be an American problem. Actually, it was the revelation of the abuse of children which was an American problem. Now the other shoes begin to drop.

[chasmader]

The Episcopal Church is NOT the Roman Church. Episcopal Priests may marry and this takes the "pressure" off, so to speak.

Also, Episcopalians are not guilt-obsessed the way the Romans are.

[Hank10303]

I SEE DONATIONS GOING DOWN DOwn Down down

[MsLiz]

So what?

[TryToBeFlexible]

A breakaway church for the specific purpose of being able to maintain your hate and bigotry.

[cbates]

It is not hate and bigotry when your religion expressedly states in its referenced document that homosexuality is against God's will for mankind. Even though there is much more sin going on within our lives, to be forced to accept a sin that is abhorent to many is like pushing water up hill with you bare hands. I think because we have a secular government you can not stop people from forming a union with all the rights and benefiits seen or realized in a marriage. If you ask me to marry you in God's name then it is going against or forcing government to rule over religion or to force your religion to resemble your government.

[teacheng]

What now?

The 'referenced document' also states that you should be put to death if you work (read: lift a finger) on Sunday (which is our 'interpretation' of the Sabbath). Ever work on a Sunday? I suppose you'd accept death as a righteous punishment, then.

[livesimply]

Fortunately, we are free to believe as we wish. I do not believe that homosexuality is against God's will and I believe very deeply in God. I believe that God is much larger than any old words in any old book.

[pfrogger]

they're not asking to marry in God's name!
they don't want to married by a priest who claims bigotry is Godly.

what world are you living in.
in 10 years when homosexual marriage is the norm, bigots like you will be treated like the racists of today, shunned.
and then your hating kind will have to follow suit of those who said interracial marriage was against God's will. you all can get together at your KKK meetings and talk about the good old days when you were allowed to hate publicly.
until then, suck it, 5 states won, 45 more to go.

[Freethinker09]

Many Christians see it as hate and bigotry to force them to celebrate gay sin and gay sinners unwilling to repent. Gays and their supporters are NEVER going to force Christians - that believe in the Gospel -to accept gay anything. If it is hateful to believe that marriage is a man and a woman, then Jesus was a hate-monger.

[TeeLolly]

Jesus never condemned homosexuals.

[drjoann]

You specifically cite the Gospels. Show me where, exactly, chapter and verse, in the Gospels that homosexuality is condemned. I'm waiting ... hmmmm, didn't think you could come up with anything because it isn't there.

As a matter of fact, Jesus healed the Centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13)

[livesimply]

And you call yourself a free thinker???

[pfrogger]

wow.
you people have so much hate and bigotry clouding your eyes, you can't even see straight.
pro-gay marriage people don't care what your kind believe. bigots and racists will always be around. hate as you will.
but legalizing your hate is wrong, and is slowly being overturned.
5 states won, 45 to go.
until then, suck it.