Discord haunts ECUSA.Dissension over the issue of homosexuality continued last month to mark Fife in some areas of the Episcopal Church Episcopal Church, Anglican church of the United States. Its separate existence as an American ecclesiastical body with its own episcopate began in 1789. Doctrine and Organization of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. (ECUSA ECUSA Episcopal Church in the United States of America ). On March 14, five conservative retired Episcopal bishops, one bishop from Brazil and 110 laypeople lay·peo·ple or lay people pl.n. Laymen and laywomen. took part in a confirmation service in Akron, Ohio Akron is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County.GR6 The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland to the north and Canton to the south, approximately 60 miles (96 km) west of , that was held without the permission of the local diocesan bishop. The diocese of Ohio's delegation to ECUSA's General Convention last July approved the election of Bishop Gene Robinson in New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E). , who is in a long-term relationship with another man. One of the bishops participating in the Ohio confirmation service, Maurice Benitez of Texas, said the service was "an essential and imperative response to a pastoral emergency in northern Ohio." The bishop of Ohio, J. Clark Grew II, said "there is no crisis in the diocese of Ohio Diocese of Ohio usually refers to the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. Other dioceses in Ohio include:
At the end of that six-day meeting in Texas, the bishops released a plan for dealing with conflict between bishops and congregations. The plan recommends that bishops and congregations that disagree find ways to work together. If that is not successful, the next step is "to implement a plan for delegated oversight." The diocesan bishop may appoint another bishop, but (unlike a plan proposed by a bishops' task force in Canada) the visiting bishop would not have jurisdiction, that is, power to conduct confirmations or hire clergy. Shortly after the bishops' meeting, representatives of 12 Episcopal church groups met in Atlanta to promote unity within the national church. Calling themselves Via Media (the middle way) USA, members said they may not be in complete agreement about matters of sexuality, but they are committed to preserving the church and its traditional openness to differing interpretations of Scripture, tradition and reason. with files from Journal wire services |
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