An openly gay priest has received more than the required majority of consents to be confirmed as bishop, the Diocese of Los Angeles reported Wednesday.
According to an unofficial tally, the Rev. Canon Mary Douglas Glasspool has received 61 nods from standing committees in The Episcopal Church. Only 56 are required for confirmation.
"I give thanks for the Standing Commitees’ prompt action," said Los Angeles Bishop Diocesan J. Jon Bruno. "I look forward to the final few consents to come in from the bishops in the next few days, and I give thanks for the fact that we as a church have taken a bold step for just action."
The presiding bishop's office has yet to verify the count.
Glasspool, who has been with her lesbian partner since 1988, was elected in December to the office of bishop suffragan in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Consents to her election would make Glasspool the second openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church, after V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire whose consecration in 2003 caused uproar.
Dr. Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion – of which The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch – had expressed concerns over Glasspool's election, especially considering the moratorium on the consecration of bishops living in a same-gender union that Anglican leaders had reaffirmed.
Originally Posted by linda22003
