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Conservatives criticize support after approval of gay bishop
GREG GARRISON
News staff writer
February 27, 2005
Alabama Episcopalians voted Saturday to increase funding to the national Episcopal Church, despite efforts to curb money in protest of the approval of an openly gay bishop in 2003.
The Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, meeting at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, approved a budget of more than $2.5 million and voted down two attempts to dramatically slash national church funding.
Two amendments defeated Saturday proposed reducing the national church gift from more than 18 percent of the Alabama diocese's budget down to either 16 percent or 10 percent.
In 2004, the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama sent $417,559 to the national church headquarters, or 17.85 percent of its budget. That will go up this year to $468,159, or 18.44 percent of the budget.
"The increase in our giving to the national church is a symbol of our commitment to the whole church and the Anglican Communion," said Bishop Henry N. Parsley, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.
That marks an apparent shift from the mood of protest last year.
Episcopal churches last year reduced their contributions to the Diocese of Alabama, falling about $172,000 below projections, because of opposition to the approval of New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson. During debates over his approval in 2003, Robinson openly discussed his homosexual partner and spoke out for the blessing of same-sex unions in the church. The budget for the diocese decreased from more than $2.5 million in 2003 to less than $2.3 million in 2004.
Two resolutions passed Saturday emphasized efforts toward reconciliation, dropping controversial language calling for "repentance."
The actions disappointed conservative activists, who had hoped for stern action to protest the acceptance of Robinson.
"We are going to do nothing," said Ted Sluis, president of Stand Firm Alabama. "It is a non-response in every way."
Parsley said the actions were in the spirit of the Windsor Report, issued last year by an Anglican commission that sharply criticized the U.S. Episcopal Church and asked leaders to express regret and promise not to consecrate any more bishops who live in same-sex unions. The report also criticized Third World Anglican bishops who have encouraged Episcopalians to leave the U.S. church, and it encouraged them to express regret also.
"It affirms the Windsor Report and our intention to follow its recommendations in the life of this diocese, and work toward healing and reconciliation, both here and throughout the Communion," Parsley said.
On Thursday, Anglican archbishops from around the world gathered in North Ireland and requested that the U.S. Episcopal Church and Anglican Consultative Council voluntarily withdraw from the Anglican Consultative Council, which deals with relations between national Anglican bodies. The international Anglican leaders also asked the Americans and Canadians to explain their stances sanctioning same-sex unions.
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