News for Week Ending 11/15/2010

Uruguay votes to leave Southern Cone

The decision of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone not to begin ordaining women priests—see Pittsburgh Update story here—has had surprising consequences. Episcopal News Service (ENS) reported November 15, 2010, that the Diocese of Uruguay synod voted November 12 to leave the Southern Cone for another Anglican church over the inability to ordain women priests. According to ENS, the diocese wants to arrange the transfer within a year. The diocese has been a part of the Southern Cone since its inception in 1981.

‘Hundreds’ in England to go to Rome

It remains to be seen what defections there will be from the Church of England over disagreements about allowing women bishops. Some bishops have already announced that they will become Roman Catholic. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) According to a November 13, 2010, story in The Telegraph, 50 Anglican clergy and “hundreds on Anglican churchgoers” will join them. It will actually be years before the Church of England will be able to create women bishops, of course.

New Westminster ‘orthodox’ lose appeal

Four congregations that broke away from the Anglican Church of Canada’s Diocese of New Westminster over issues around homosexuality have lost an appeal to a 2009 court decision that awarded property to the diocese. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The congregations are now part of the Anglican Church in North America. Three judges of the British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled unanimously November 15, 2010, that the lower court decided the case correctly. One judge wrote that the dissidents “cannot in my respectful decision remove themselves from their diocesan structures and retain the right to use properties that are held for purposes of Anglican ministry in Canada.” According to The Vancouver Sun, the court decision may be the end of litigation, but it is possible for the “orthodox” congregations to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. This story was also reported by the Winnipeg Free Press.

Robinson says Glasspool inspired retirement thoughts

Last week, we reported that gay bishop Gene Robinson has announced his coming retirement. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) In an interview with The Living Church, Robinson elaborated on his decision to step down before canonically required to do so. He told The Living Church that he had not considered retiring early until Mary Glasspool, a partnered lesbian, was elected a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles. That election, he said, gave him permission to consider retirement. More information is contained in the Living Church story.

Fort Worth parishes and missions join litigation

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth reported that, on November 12, 2010, 10 parishes and 38 missions have joined with the diocese in the Tarrant County litigation seeking recovery of property taken by those who left the Episcopal Church diocese for the Southern cone. The ongoing litigation was last reported on by Pittsburgh Update here. Additional details may be found at the link given above.