The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago avoided deepening the rift over homosexuality within the Anglican Communion on Saturday when it elected the Rev. Jeffrey Lee as its twelfth bishop.
There were seven candidates for the position, including the Rev. Tracy Lind, the openly lesbian dean of Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland.
Had Lind been elected, she would have been the second openly homosexual Episcopal bishop after V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
It was the 2003 consecration of Robinson that drove the worldwide Anglican Communion to the point of schism, pitting more liberal-leaning Episcopalians against traditionalists, who favor a conservative interpretation of Scripture.
The election of another openly homosexual bishop would have likely deepened the divisions within the Anglican Communion.
Lee, the new Chicago Bishop, is regarded as a moderate. In a statement given to 500 delegates before the vote, Lee said he wanted to keep conversation going with conservatives on gay clergy but at the same time supported "the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church."
Earlier this year, The Episcopal Church said it would “exercise restraint” in choosing more gay bishops after intense pressure from conservative leaders in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Lee supported the decision by The Episcopal Church, writing that he had a "deep desire to keep the conversation going forward at the international level."
"He (Lee) would be perceived as someone who is qualified for the job, but not polarizing as other candidates might have been," commented the Rev. Canon Mike Stephenson of the Diocese of Chicago, according to the Associated Press.
Lee was the rector of St. Thomas Church in Medina, Wash., and was elected on the second ballot, comfortably surpassing the required 308 clergy and lay votes with 337.
Lind came in fourth on both ballots, receiving just 16 votes of clergy and lay people in the second ballot in which Lee was elected.
In Lee’s statement, the reverend said that his church supported the inclusion of gays and lesbians, but did not exclude members who disagree with that stance.
"I make it clear that I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but as a leader I have a duty to articulate my own understanding of what God may be calling the church to do," he said.
According to AP, Lee said that he was "honored and humbled" by the appointment. His consecration ceremony is slated for Feb. 2, 2008.
Outgoing Bishop William Persell said that many of the delegates who voted where aware that voting for Lind would have sparked controversy.
He also said that “this election should not be seen as a vote against a gay or lesbian person" and that the Diocese of Chicago was as committed as ever to full inclusion of lesbians and gays.
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But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 1 Timothy 2:12
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. 1 Timothy 3:1-4
If they'd read the book, they wouldn't have women or homosexuals as bishops.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (New King James Version)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,[a] nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 6:9 That is, catamites
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offender nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9.
I fail to see how Bishop Lee, who accepts active homosexual people as church leaders, can be regarded by many as a "moderate", although I accept the sad fact. So he is a moderate member of the Sodomite society - those people who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 13:13)? I wonder how his interpretation of Holy Scripture should be labeled. Moderate? How deep is the rot of apostasy in the Episcopal Church?