"Reaction to Glasspool's election was swift. The Rev. Canon Kendall Harmon, canon theologian from the Diocese of South Carolina, said the election represents an intransigent embrace of a pattern of life Christians throughout history and the world have rejected as against biblical teaching
- Episcopal Life on line -

Harmon's reflections are a good 'stalking horse' for the climate of dissent from the acceptance of women and gays into the ministry of the Church. Whenever I see a statement from him on the web, I almost automatically assume that his message means death to some Gospel initiative in the Anglican Communion around the world.

It should be no surprise to anyone who knows that his favourite commentator on the world-wide web is the ex-Baptist David Virtue, host of the oxy-moronically-named 'Virtue-on-line', whose vitriol against the inclusive theology of TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada is legendary.

Such primitively oriented 'sola scriptura' minds are rampant within the ACNA and Global South fraternities, whose judgementalism will no doubt be seen by them as righteous indignation, but which, to many of us, seems merely contra-Gospel.

The election of 2 new Bishops of the Episcoapl Church in the USA - one of whom is an openly gay- partnered cleric, is symptomatic of the maturity of TEC, in its determination to outlaw a culture of homophobia and misogyny within its Church family. Thank God for the fact that TEC's gay clergy are willing to be honest about their sexuality. Would that other Anglican Churches were able to be so free from an institutionalised culture of hypocrisy.

Thank you, Bishop Katharine Schori, for your prophetic statement in support of these recent elctions. May these new Bishops of the Church be richly blessed in their ministry.

Well I'm sure ++RW will have something to say IMMEDIATELY about this horrible travesty!

By the grace of God and the movement of the Holy Spirit, two remarkable women, Diane Bruce and Mary Glasspool, have been elected as suffragan bishops in the Diocese of Los Angeles at our annual convention.

Both women are very well educated. Both women are persons of outstanding character, faithfulness, and personal holiness. Both women have extraordinary records of ever increasing service and responsibility in The Episcopal Church. Both women have spent most of their adult lives in committed relationships, Diane with her husband Steve and Mary with her partner Becki.

Of course the usual suspects have begun the howling circus that has become so tiresome by now. “The Rev. Rod Thomas, the leader of the conservative evangelical group Reform and a member of General Synod said: ‘I feel deeply ashamed that this is happening in the Anglican Church.’ Evidently no one has informed this member of General Synod that there is no such thing as the Anglican Church.

Rod, you need to relax. Your Church, the Church of England, does not even have women bishops yet. You are no doubt a long way from appointing a lesbian as bishop.

By the way, Rod, when did you find your voice? Evidently you lost it in some nook or cranny in your vicarage, and have, only now just found it. How else to explain that you expressed no shame when the Churches of west, central and east Africa, with whom you are in close collaboration, acquiesced, and in the case of Uganda supported legislation to imprison for life or hang gay people. Of course you must have lost your voice. Otherwise your newsletter would have shouted the banner headline, “Fury in the Church over hatred against gays.”

Please! Such transparent prejudice.

Fury?

We are your Sisters, Brothers, Moms, Dads, Best Friends and acquaintances...we are the people that ride the bus with you, share a pew with you (and always have) and often work right alongside of you.

We admire leaders who give us hope and the ability to help us see through our self-deceptions and spiritually guide us as we move beyond selfishness, abusive behavior (to ourselves and others) and humbly face our fears, our hate and often plain greed and our ability to deceive.

Most often it takes more than simple spiritual guidance when I´m not listening to the sound of my own voice (or paying attention to the REAL thoughts/intentions in my head)...I need God in my life...unmanageable comes to mind.

I need God and I need friendships and fellowship that doesn´t insist and demand the loathing and abusing others of *difference*...I want and seek peace of mind and I want to LOVE ALL OF YOU but I realize the price is often very high and I must is say no to some of you.

I am a person who prayerfully is no longer willing to accept dishonesty from me or from you...it´s time for me to face REALITY and to accept responsibility for all that I do...how about you?

Your issues of intollerance are not about me.

Lord have mercy

"The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone: this is The LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes!"

Thank you, DioLA, and God bless TEC! Alleluia! :-D

I wonder how many married couples will divorce because of this family and faith destroying move!

The new Bishop Glasspool will need much prayer and support to cope with all the vitriol that will be heaped on her from now on. She's a courageous woman!

Lovely to see Gene under the headline "lesbian bishop" ;)

LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US!

And ecumenical relations with the Catholic Church will be full steam ahead....so don'yt worry about any wimpering from the Vtican!

"LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US!"

He did, dear Mark, he did. That's why this happened.

I rejoice in both elections but particularly that of Mary as I have had the gift of her friendship for many years and serve in the diocese of Maryland. My prayers are offered for all involved.
Columba Gilliss

Sadly, Bishop Bruce has been left in the shadows. And that ain't right.

The Rev. Canon Diane Jardine Bruce will never be left in the shadows, as anyone who knows her fully understands. The Diocese elected the two most qualified candidates.

How do people feel about ENS leading with "Los Angeles diocese elects openly gay bishop suffragan"? On the one hand, it's news, I suppose - more news than an episcopal election usually is.* On the other hand, this singling out her sexuality seems to me to be the sort of thing that one usually finds in the GAFCONite or the secular press.

*But presumably this is not so much news from an ECUSA POV; for us it's just another episcopal election...we have them all the time...