The final House of Deputies overwhelming and lopsided total vote (200-6-8) came just mere hours before the final gavel was sounded ending the 79th time that Episcopalians gathered in General Convention.

In an early-in-the-week tweet, Jim Naughton (Resistance Cookie) tweeted: "Fellow straight, white #Episcopal guys, please join me in this pledge: 'At no point during General Convention will I pit the interests of people of color against the interests of LGBTQ people to achieve an end desired primarily by straight, white guys.' Because this is how we straight, white guys persuade ourselves that we act not for ourselves, but for a greater good. And it is seldom true."

But it was the "straight white Episcopal guys," also known as orthodox bishops, who got run over by the passage of Resolution B012 -- Marriage Rites for the Whole Church. The seven American orthodox bishops: William Love (IX Albany); Greg Brewer (Central Florida); George Sumner (VII Dallas); John Howard (VIII Florida); Michael Smith (XI North Dakota) Dan Martins (XI Springfield); and John Bauerschmidt (XI Tennessee) are Communion Partner members.

In 2015, the House of Bishops said in its Communion Across Difference statement: "We give particular thanks for the steadfast witness of our colleagues in the Communion Partners. We value and rely on their commitment to The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. We recognize that theirs is a minority voice in the House of Bishops in our deliberations with respect to Christian marriage; and we affirm that despite our differences they are an indispensable part of who we are as the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church. Our church needs their witness."

One other bishop -- Ambrose Gumbs (V Virgin Islands) -- rounds out the list of "eight problematic" bishops who have held the line on the Biblical understanding of marriage, nixing the same-sex marriage and blessings in their respective dioceses.

Three years ago, while the 2015 General Convention was in session in Salt Lake City, Utah, the US Supreme Court bowed to radical homosexual pressure and political correctness to make gay marriage a constitutional right throughout the land, including the US territories of Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Marina Islands. Due to territorial law, the full implementation of same-sex marriage in American Samoa has not yet happened.

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands make up the Province VIII Diocese of Micronesia. The US Virgin Islands (SSM is legal) and the British Virgin Islands (SSM is not legal) make up the Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands. American Samoa is in the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia which is part of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

In 2015, General Convention assured conservatives that The Episcopal Church would "honor the theological diversity of this Church in regard to matters of human sexuality; and that no bishop, priest, deacon or lay person should be coerced or penalized in any manner, nor suffer any canonical disabilities, as a result of his or her theological objection to or support for the 78th General Convention's action ..."

Those assurances lasted all of three short years. By 2018, the fix was in. Through the years there has been a concerted and orchestrated drive in most part by Integrity USA to provide "All the Sacraments for All the Baptized" including gay and lesbian marriage rites, the ordination of transgendered priests and the episcopal consecration of homosexual bishops.

The final draft of Resolution B012 simply states: "That this Church continue to honor theological diversity in regard to matters of human sexuality." No mention of coercion, no mention of penalties, no mention of canonical disabilities, no mention of theological objections.

Bishop Martins twisted himself into a pretzel to find a way for the remaining orthodox Episcopal domestic dioceses -- Springfield, Albany, Tennessee, Central Florida, North Dakota, Dallas, and Florida -- to provide ministry to same-sex couples without being mandated by General Convention to provide same-sex weddings.

Initially Resolution B012 stated: "That where diocesan canons or bishops exercising ecclesiastical authority do not authorize the use of these liturgies for persons of the same sex, congregations may request, and when requesting shall receive delegated episcopal pastoral oversight (DEPO) by a bishop of this Church who shall provide access to these liturgies, as permitted by civil law ..."

Using DEPO was a scheme devised by moderate bishops Lawrence Provenzano (VIII Long Island); Dorsey McConnell (VIII TEC Pittsburgh); and Nicholas Knisely (VIII Rhode Island) to provide a passable way for orthodox bishops to offer pastoral care to same-sex couples without violating their consciences.

Bishop Martins was hoping that B012 would provide a "canonical safe place for orthodox Episcopalians going forward." Bishop Michael Smith (North Dakota) was already using DEPO to accommodate same-sex couples in his diocese.

"After consulting widely with the diocesan priests-in-charge, I have decided to offer Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO) to those congregations requesting it," Bishop Smith wrote in 2015. "According to the provisions of DEPO, if the priest-in-charge and two-thirds of the members of a vestry ask me, I will appoint another bishop to provide oversight for the three-year period between General Conventions."

"I have defended ... I have fought for ... I wanted ... I earnestly believed -- and still do -- in the unity of The Episcopal Church," Bishop Howard told his brother bishops. "That was my guiding principle from Day One. I argued for unity of our church and for the Diocese of Florida to remain in The Episcopal Church.

Albany Bishop William Love was having none of it.

"I very much appreciate the efforts the various folks have been involved in on the resolution and amendment have taken to try and find a place for all of us," he said on the floor of the House of Bishops earlier in the week. "This is one of those rare opportunities where I find myself in disagreement with my fellow Communion Partners."

In the end, the bishops passed a revised B012 on a voice vote and bounced it back to the House of Deputies for concurrence.

On the morning of Friday-the-thirteenth, the HOD concurred. There was very little opposition. The laity voted: 191 for to three against with four not voting. The clergy followed suit by a vote of 99 yeah to three nays with four abstaining.

Following the vote, out and proud lesbian priest and former Integrity USA President Susan Russell tweeted: "We have become a church where marriage for all is embraced by an overwhelming margin, ending what was de facto sacramental apartheid for same-sex couples in some dioceses and ushering in a new chapter of love & liberation."

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline