Episcopal Bishops Reject Ultimatum
Thursday March 22, 2007
AP Religion Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Episcopal bishops risked losing their place in the global Anglican family Wednesday by affirming their support for gays and rejecting a key demand that they give up some authority to theological conservatives outside the U.S. church.

In strong and direct language, the Episcopal House of Bishops said it views the Gospel as teaching that ``all God's children, including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants'' in the church. The bishops also said they would not agree to an Anglican plan for leaders outside the U.S. denomination to oversee the small number of conservative American dioceses that disagree.

``We cannot accept what would be injurious to the church and could well lead to its permanent division,'' the bishops said in a resolution from a private meeting in Texas.

``If that means that others reject us and communion with us, as some have already done, we must with great regret and sorrow accept their decision.'' the rest