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The US Episcopal Church, which elected Gene Robinson as its first openly gay Bishop and just yesterday elected its first woman prsiding Bishop, is close to a vote prohibiting the future appointment of open gays as Bishops, the Associated Press is reporting.
The Episcopal General Convention is meeting in Coumbis, Ohio.
Excerpts from the AP report follow:
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The Episcopal General Convention approached another defining vote a day after electing its first female presiding bishop: whether the church should temporarily bar gays from becoming bishops to preserve Anglican fellowship.
Delegates have been considering a moratorium at the request of world Anglican leaders, who remain angry over the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay Episcopal bishop - V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. The matter was headed to a scheduled floor debate and possible vote Monday afternoon.
The denomination is the U.S. arm of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion. If overseas leaders dislike the outcome of this week's meeting, the association of 38 national churches could splinter apart. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the communion's spiritual leader, has expressed concern that the feud over homosexuality and the Bible will cause a permanent rift.
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