The Episcopal Church is not likely to heed [Rowan] Williams\u2019 warning. The church made its view on the issue quite clear in its General Convention last July, when it passed one resolution repealing the moratorium on electing gay bishops and a second resolution allowing, but not requiring, bishops to authorize same-sex blessing ceremonies in the churches they oversee. In places where civil authorities allow same-sex unions, the church has said it will respond to \u201cchanging circumstances\u201d\u009d and allow bishops to provide a \u201cgenerous pastoral response\u201d\u009d to couples who want the church to bless their unions. Clergy are now free to solemnize same-sex unions in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts and Diocese of Vermont, although the Episcopal Church has not yet written a liturgy for them to do so.<\/p>\n
Since the bishops at the General Convention voted 99-45 to revoke the moratorium on gay bishops, it\u2019s unlikely that Glasspool\u2019s election will elicit a different response. Robert Lundy, communications officer for the conservative American Anglican Council, said the church will probably not change directions now: \u201cWe\u2019re at the stage where it\u2019s clear where the Episcopal Church is going. There\u2019s no pretending that they\u2019re going to remotely hold to Biblical teachings\u201d\u201dnot just on God\u2019s role for sex . . . but on lots of other issues they\u2019re totally walking apart from the rest of the Anglican Communion.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n