Apparently the ethos of Anglicanism is not "getting along." Just as the ++Carey and company ploughed ahead on the issue of who is qualified for holy orders in spite of the fact it rocked the boat, so others are willing to accept divisions and defections as a consequence of promoting their cause. Charles --------------------------------- FROM THE TELEGRAPH (uk) Church is braced for election of gay bishop (Posted Oct. 25th, 2002). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml;$sessionid Church is braced for election of gay bishop By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent (Filed: 26/10/2002) The Anglican Church could soon have its first openly homosexual bishop despite warnings by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, that the issue could provoke schism. Canon Gene Robinson, who left his wife and children to move in with his male lover, is almost certain to stand for election as the next Bishop of New Hampshire in America. Canon Robinson refused to confirm yesterday whether he had submitted his name as a candidate to succeed the Rt Rev Douglas Theuner, who retires next year, but he has previously said he would be "very open to the possibility". The prospect of the canon becoming a bishop is sure to provoke further splits within the worldwide Church, which Dr Carey said last month was on the brink of disintegration over homosexuality. Two liberal bishops in America and one in Canada are ignoring Dr Carey's pleas for restraint by going ahead with plans to introduce the Church's first officially sanctioned blessings of homosexual "marriages". The Bishop of Kansas, the Rt Rev William Smalley, said that his decision to allow such blessing had been backed by his diocese last week, the Bishop of Delaware, the Rt Rev Wayne Wright, is also going ahead as is the Canadian Bishop of New Westminster, the Rt Rev Michael Ingham, who was criticised in Dr Carey's speech last month. Canon Robinson would, if he stands, be a strong favourite to succeed the liberal Bishop Theuner as he is the bishop's assistant and has worked in the diocese for 26 years. If he was elected by the diocese early next year his appointment would have to be confirmed by a majority of the American bishops. It would, however, be unprecedented for them to overrule the choice of the diocese. In two previous attempts to become a bishop, Canon Robinson lost by seven votes in Rochester, New York, in 1999, and came third in Newark, New Jersey, in 1998. Divorced from his wife, with whom he has two daughters, he lives with Mark Andrew, a manager for the New Hampshire department of health and human services. He said recently: "My being gay is rarely alluded to by me or the congregation." Dr Carey, who backs the 1998 Lambeth Conference resolution banning the ordination of practising homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions, reiterated his warning on Monday that the issue was destabilizing Christianity. - END - __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? U2 on LAUNCH - Exclusive greatest hits videos http://launch.yahoo.com/u2