Episcopal Church news stories on Newser

One Episcopal Congregation Converting to Catholicism

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 06:59:21 CDT

Parishioners of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Maryland arrived at services Sunday and got an unexpected sermon: Rev. Mark Lewis informed the congregation that he and other church leaders wanted the entire parish to convert to Catholicism. “We didn’t know for sure how people would react,” says one person who...

Jim McGreevey Bid to Become Priest Rejected

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:41:15 CDT

Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who resigned in 2004 after acknowledging he is a "gay American," had his eye on a new job—but so far it's not working out. McGreevey tried to join the priesthood, but the Episcopal Church rejected him, the New York Post reports. "It was...

1st Openly Gay Bishop to Retire

Polly Davis Doig — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 11:12:00 CST

Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopalian whose election to bishop reverberated through the religious world, will take early retirement in 2013, reports the Boston Globe. "The last seven years have taken their toll on me, my family, and you,” Robinson told an annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of New...

Episcopalians Ordain 2nd Gay Bishop

Sun, 16 May 2010 08:14:14 CDT

The Episcopal Church has consecrated the Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool as its second openly gay bishop, seven years after stirring lingering controversy by ordaining a man to a similar post. She was installed at Long Beach Arena before 3,000 people, who burst into applause at the end, a church...

Episcopal Church Names Second Openly Gay Bishop

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:07:00 CST

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles yesterday elected the Rev. Mary Glasspool as its second openly gay bishop, underscoring Episcopal commitment to accepting same-sex relationships despite enormous pressure from other Anglicans. "Any group of people who have been oppressed because of any one, isolated aspect of their persons yearns for...

LA Episcopal Church Tests Gay Policy

Neal Colgrass — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:25:00 CDT

Testing a new policy that permits gay and lesbian clergy, Episcopal Church leaders in Los Angeles nominated one of each today, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 70,000-member Diocese of Los Angeles picked Rev. John L. Kirkley and Rev. Canon Mary Douglas Glasspool as two of six contenders for...

Episcopal Church Lifts Ban on Gay Bishops

Jason Farago — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:54:10 CDT

Leaders of the Episcopal Church voted overwhelmingly yesterday to allow the ordination of gay and lesbian bishops, risking further fissures with conservative parishes and the Anglican Communion. The new policy reverses a 2006 compromise that prohibited the consecration of homosexual clergy, in line with other Anglican churches. Episcopalians will vote...

Episcopal Splinter Group to Ban Gay, Female Clergy

Ambreen Ali — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:25:23 CDT

Hundreds of former Episcopal parishes are meeting to form the Anglican Church in North America this week, parting ways with their previous church to ban women and gays in the clergy. Robert Duncan, the former bishop of Pittsburgh, is leading the congregation of 300—including 50 bishops—and is expected...

Kissing Priest Marries Galpal

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:34:09 CDT

In scarcely more than a month, Alberto Cutié has gone from celebrity priest to sex scandal poster boy to Episcopalian—now he can add boring old married guy to his resume, reports the AP. The Miami priest who left the Catholic Church amid a racy photo scandal married his secret...