Religious freedom in Fresno
Andrew Fiala
Thursday, January 17, 2008

Episcopalian Church in Fresno shows us the complexity of the ideal of religious liberty. Americans are right to celebrate the separation of church and state. But we must acknowledge that religious liberty means that religions are free to espouse views that many of us believe are intolerant. This works so long as church and state remain separate.

Last month, a substantial majority of Episcopalians here in Fresno voted to leave the American Episcopal Church and align with the Church of the Southern Cone. The immediate cause of this fissure was the Episcopal Church's changing view of homosexuality and marriage. According to the more conservative reading of the Bible propounded by the Fresno Episcopalians, the church should not approve homosexual relationships or ordain homosexual clergy.

The Episcopal Church responded last week by "inhibiting" John-David Schofield, the bishop of San Joaquin. This means that he is prohibited him from carrying out his ministerial duties. In reply, Schofield claims that because he is no longer a member of the Episcopal Church, the order of inhibition does not apply to him. the rest