Episcopalians Elect First Female Leader
By RACHEL ZOLL
June 18, 2006

The Episcopal Church on Sunday elected Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as the first female chief pastor of the denomination and the first female leader in the history of the world Anglican Communion.

The choice of Schori as presiding bishop complicates the already difficult relations between the American denomination and its fellow Anglicans.

Only two other Anglican provinces _ New Zealand and Canada _ have female bishops, although a handful of other provinces allow women to serve in the post. Still, there are many Anglican leaders who believe women should not be priests.

Schori was elected during the Episcopal General Convention, where delegates have been debating whether to appease Anglican leaders by agreeing to stop ordaining gay bishops _ for now. In 2003, the Americans angered the Anglican world by electing the first openly gay bishop _ V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. the rest