At the Episcopal church’s General Convention last summer, Thompson was with the majority of delegates who voted to declare partnered gay men and lesbians eligible for any ordained ministry. He also voted to direct church resources to preparing rites for same-sex unions.<\/p>\n
Indeed, as the New Orleans convention was ending, Episcopalians in Los Angeles were on their way to electing the second openly gay bishop in the worldwide Anglican communion. There delegates elected the Rev. Mary Glasspool of Baltimore as an assistant bishop. Her election seemed likely to further damage relations between U.S. Episcopalians, and Anglicans in Africa and Asia, who vastly outnumber them.<\/p>\n
“I believe the church is moving in a direction that is more inclusive when it comes to the issue of sexuality, and I think the church needs to support people who are gay,” Thompson said in an interview Saturday.<\/p>\n
“But that’s not big the issue for me. That’s not the platform people will know me by.”<\/p>\n