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Decision likely to widen the division in the international Anglican Communion
Does change lie ahead?
LA Episcopal Church nominates gay and lesbian as bishops
"leaders of the Diocese of Minnesota nominated a partnered lesbian as bishop"
In Los Angeles on Sunday, leaders of the Episcopal Church nominated an openly gay priest and an openly lesbian priest as bishops, making it one of the first of the national church's dioceses to test the recently-approved policy lifting the de facto ban on gays in the ordained hierarchy. On Saturday, leaders of the Diocese of Minnesota nominated a partnered lesbian as bishop.
The Rev John Kirkley, of San Francisco's Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist, and the Rev. Canon Mary Douglas Glasspool of a diocese in Baltimore, Maryland are among six nominees who will run for election for two assistant bishop posts at the LA diocese's convention in Riverside in December.
After the 2003 consecration of V. Gene Robinson, a partnered gay bishop in New Hampshire, dozens of traditionalist churches and four dioceses broke away, prompting Episcopalian church leaders to vow to exercise restraint before consecrating any more gay bishops. That policy was overturned at their annual national convention last month when they voted overwhelmingly to open "any ordained ministry" to gays and lesbians and also to consider rites of blessing for same-sex couples.
