The election of an openly lesbian assistant bishop by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has deepened divisions in the Anglican Church. 1st lesbian bishop in USA: Canon Mary Glasspool Canon Mary Glasspool is the first openly gay bishop elected since the 2.1-million-member church lifted its ban on gay people in its top echelons. Glasspool believes her sexual orientation wasn't a factor in the vote: ''I believe the people of the diocese, by the grace and power and influence of the Holy Spirit, went beneath skin deep, went beneath the superficial characteristics and boxes into which we put people to really look at individual people,'' she told the Los Angeles Times. Her ascension to assistant bishop has further strained the church, where some congregations have already left the Episcopal fold over the gay clergy issue and formed a rival church. Sydney's Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen has been particularly vocal in his condemnation of gay people in powerful church roles. He described Glasspool's election "sad but not surprising" and that the churches' leadership had ''chosen to walk in a way which is contrary to scripture," reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 8th December 2009 - 7:39pm