Openly gay bishop appointed to Anglican Church

Mary Glasspool, pictured, would be the first openly gay bishop to be consecrated since Gene Robinson Photo: AFP/GETTY

Today the second openly gay Bishop was appointed to the Anglican Church.

This time Los Angeles Episcopalian church elected 55-year-old lesbian Reverend Mary Douglas Glasspool as assistant bishop on the weekend. Despite the appointment, she still needs a majority of the National Episcopal Church to formally approve the position. If this does happen she will be the first lesbian Bishop.

The election of Gene Robinson five years ago as the first gay bishop in the US caused deep rifts in the Anglican Church and a split is feared now as well.

From ABC news:

The worldwide Anglican Communion had agreed to a freeze on the election of gay clergy to stem a possible major rift within the church, and Bishop Forsythe says a split now seems inevitable.

“The Anglican Communion as a united body is now history, and now we are seeing a complete restructuring of relationships,” he said.

“I think that is what the event is showing. Communion as a united body is now history.

“I am not saying this one event changes everything. It just continues to cement the trajectory towards a restructuring of the Anglican Communion in the world.

“I think it (a split) was inevitable before this frankly, but yes, I think it is inevitable now.”…

…Dr Muriel Porter, an Anglican laywoman and commentator, says she welcomes the election of Mary Glasspool, and says the majority of people within the Anglican church will not have a problem with a lesbian bishop.

“We’ve had threats of splits going back now over 20 years. I think it is a series of bluffs,” she said.

Happy Holidays!