Episcopal Church Agrees to Conservative Anglican Demands

The Episcopal Church has agreed to halt the ordination of homosexual clergy in efforts to prevent a schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

In Tuesday’s announcement, the U.S. arm of Anglicanism said it would also stop all prayers of blessing for same–sex couples, thus fulfilling the two major conditions requested by Anglican officials before a Sept. 30 deadline.

Furthermore, The Episcopal Church would allow conservative dioceses to opt out of American church body and affiliate with a conservative province thousands of miles away.

The decisions come after Anglican leaders across Africa and Asia threatened to leave the worldwide communion unless appropriate assurances were given that The Episcopal Church would reverse its pro–gay agenda.

According to the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, bishops that have been meeting for the past six days found "common ground to stand on."

“High ground,” she added.

"Not everyone is 100 percent happy with every word in this document,” Jefferts Schori noted, “but we believe we have found a place that all of us can stand together – at the foot of the cross."

The threat of a worldwide split has been hanging over the 77 million member Anglican Communion since the ordination of V. Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church in 2003.

Adherents of the Christian faith have historically taught that homosexuality is a sin according to Scripture, and conservative Christians hold onto the belief that homosexuals should not be allowed to hold positions of leadership within the Church. They also feel that the Church should not bless homosexual relationships, as this would be tantamount to blessing a sinful act.

Liberal believers, meanwhile, argue that biblical teachings on inclusiveness should take precedence and nullify any such teachings against homosexuality.

The Episcopal Church’s decision on Tuesday came to a shock to many who predicted the liberal church body to break from its global family. The worldwide Anglican community had been waiting in anticipation as U.S. bishops met for a six–day semi–annual gathering in New Orleans that was also attended by the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams. During his visit to America, Williams reportedly insisted that the U.S. church body make the relevant concessions to ensure the worldwide communion remained united.

Prior to the Sept. 20–25 meeting, Episcopal church leaders had expressed several times that they were not going to back down from their controversial actions and the church body’s stance supporting the "full inclusion" of gays and lesbians.

While Episcopal bishops reaffirmed Tuesday their commitment to the civil rights of gay people and added that they opposed to any violence towards them or violation of their dignity, it is hoped that their latest announcements will appease conservative members of the worldwide communion who have reportedly made plans to adopt a breakaway group of American dioceses that oppose The Episcopal Church's liberal stance on homosexuality.

On Tuesday, the "Common Cause Partners," consisting of U.S. Anglicans discontent with The Episcopal Church and those who have already split, opened a four–day meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa., with some 50 bishops and some observers.

The meeting was arranged as many predicted that The Episcopal Church would "walk apart" from the global Anglican Communion by the conclusion of the gathering of the Episcopal House of Bishops in New Orleans.