http://www.evangelicals.org/news.asp?id=1036
Episcopal church to break moratorium on gay clergy
The Telegraph reports today that clergy and lay members of the Episcopal Church of the USA have now effectively agreed to overturn a ban on homosexual clergy imposed in 2003 after the appointment of a practising homosexual, Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.
In 2006 the American church's General Convention agreed a "moratorium" on the election of any more homosexual clergy, but on Sunday night the church's House of Deputies, made up of clergy and lay members, effectively voted in favour of overturning the moratorium on homosexual clergy.
It voted 99-45 with two abstentions in favour of a resolution, known as D025, that "recognizes that gays and lesbians in such same-sex relationships have exercised ministry in the church" and "acknowledges that God has called and may call any individual in the church to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church, in accordance with the discernment process set forth in the Constitution and Canons of the church".
Before the meeting finishes on Friday, the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops must vote on the resolution before Friday and it is expected that they will approve the measure.
Rowan Williams had travelled to America last week to urge liberal clergy there not to do anything that would lead to further breakdown of unity in the Anglican Communion.
Speaking on the last day of Synod in York yesterday, he said: "I regret the fact that there is not the will to observe the moratorium in such a significant part of the Church in North America but I can't say more about that as I have no details."
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