Diocese votes to split from US Episcopal Church
by Charles Johnson
Sunday, December 9, 2007

The Diocese of San Joaquin has voted to become the first to split away from the US Episcopal Church on the issue of homosexuality. A diocese spokesman, the Rev Van McCalister, said the diocese had voted to remove all references to the Episcopal Church from its constitution.

The vote at their national convention on Saturday was overwhelming, with 173 clergy and lay members voting to leave the national church compared to only 22 voting to stay, reports AP.

The split has come about due to profound differences over the issue of homosexuality. The US Episcopal Church has taken an increasingly liberal stance on the issue by permitting same sex blessings and by failing to renounce the principle of homosexual bishops. the rest