December 8th, 2007
Several individual churches have left the Episcopal Church over its decision to allow gay people to have an equal role in the church. The San Juaquin Diocese, based out of conservative agricultural Fresno, is the first diocese to do so.
Delegates said they voted to break away from the church because it allows the blessing of same-sex unions, the ordination of gay bishops and the ordination of women.
The Fresno Bee reports
The vote Saturday was 70-12 by clergy and 103-10 by laity for a combined total of 173-22. It confirmed a preliminary vote last year.
There will undoubtedly be a court battle over the assets held by the church. The San Juaquin Diocese has placed itself under the authority of a South American branch of the Anglican Church.
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John
December 9th, 2007
I’ll say this for them: at least they aren’t going with Akinola. I have very few positive things to say about that man.
Bill Ware
December 10th, 2007
My mother graduated from Goucher College in 1926 with a degree in romance languages. Back then a woman with a college degree could be a nurse or a teacher. She taught French and Latin in high school in Great Neck, NY and lived in a boarding house with other single women. After a few years, she married my father and left teaching to be with him in NJ.
She mentioned they had changed the rules by then, female teachers could remain at work after marriage. However, once the teacher was “with child” she would be required to leave work and stay home to look after the family as wives were expected to do.
When my first grand daughter was baptized in 1994, I was so pleased that the church had a female pastor. It reminded me how opportunities for my grand daughter had improved dramatically since my mother’s time.
Now I see that this diocese in Central California doesn’t allow for the ordination of women. What a pity. It’s 1926 all over again.
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