The Christian Century

The Episcopal Church should apologize for stirring disunity, but will not face serious sanctions for allowing an openly gay bishop, an Anglican church panel said in long-anticipated recommendations made October 18. The panel’s 92-page report, issued by Irish Archbishop Robin Eames, stopped short of calling for the U.S.

The Episcopal Church bishops, waiting for the shoe to drop in London, ended their fall meeting expressing confidence that “our household of faith is large enough to embrace us all” despite acknowledged divisions over the majority’s approval of a gay bishop and tolerance of same-sex unions.

Long-awaited recommendations will be made public October 18 in London on how the Anglican Communion should cope with tensions and threats of schism created by the election and consecration of gay Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire and a proposal in the Anglican Church of Canada to authorize a service of blessing for same-sex unions.

Leaders of the Episcopal Church may be placed on quarantine by the rest of the worldwide Anglican Communion because of the U.S. denomination’s approval of an openly gay man, V. Gene Robinson, as a bishop, London newspapers reported early this month.

A biennial $27,750 prize for new theological writing has been announced by Lambeth Palace in London.

The prize, named after Michael Ramsey, archbishop of Canterbury from 1961 to 1974 and known for his profound theological learning, is being sponsored by the Lambeth Fund and administered by the publishing house SPCK.

One day after deferring a decision on whether to bless gay relationships, Canadian Anglicans approved a statement that “affirms the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same-sex relationships”—stirring accusations from traditionalists that attaching “sanctity” to such partnerships is contradictory.

The issue of homosexuality has come back to haunt the Church of England with the appointment of avowedly gay Canon Jeffrey John as dean of the diocese of St. Albans—the same priest who was forced to withdraw last year from an appointment as a bishop.