“We rejoice as we enter a whole new era into the 21st century, rethinking, relooking and reforming who we are as Christian people in the world,” said Canon Randy Kimmler, missioner for vocations in the Los Angeles diocese. “This is like a big first step for us so we rejoice in this.”
Many in the 77 million-member communion, however, are grieving. Bishops, mainly from the Global South, say Glasspool’s ordination shows that U.S. Episcopalians are continuing to go against Scripture and defy the wishes of the wider body.
The Anglican Communion had called for gracious restraint in regards to the ordination of partnered gays and the blessing of same-sex unions.
Dr. Peter Jensen, the Archbishop of Sydney, said many Anglican provinces have given up on The Episcopal Church ”“ the U.S. arm of Anglicanism ”“ and regard themselves as “out of communion” with them, according to the Church of England newspaper.
“They renew the call for repentance but can see that, failing something like the Great Awakening, it will not occur,” he said.
From the article:
“Last month, some 130 Anglicans from 20 provinces endorsed a document encouraging one another to reconsider their relationships with The Episcopal Church and condemning the western church body for pursuing “an agenda of their own desire in opposition to historic norms of faith, teaching and practice.””
Katherine Jeffert Schori says that TEC doesn’t see this as an “act of defiance.” That may be true as far as they’re concerned, but most of the rest of us don’t agree. This is an act filled with foreboding.