"There is no official policy that I am aware of, or any rule that I'm aware of, that prohibits it, and there is none that I'm aware of that allows it," says Karin Hamilton, Director for Communications and Media in the Diocese of Connecticut. Sans an affirmative in-group policy, the Episcopal Church has acted favorably towards the inclusion of homosexual clergy.

On November 2, 2003, V. Gene Robinson, an openly homosexual and partnered Episcopalian, was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire, and thus became the first publicly gay, non-celibate priest ordained as an Episcopate. Nevertheless, there is still a great divide in the Episcopal Church regarding Robinson's appointment and homosexual clergy in general.

The debate waged on this summer at the General Convention, a tri-annual meeting comprised of elected representatives from each diocese of the Episcopal Church. "But it did not go so far as to say this [inclusion] is new policy and it did not set policy or pass a resolution prohibiting it [inclusion]," Hamilton says.

The Episcopal Church is the American national church of the Anglican Communion and, Hamilton says, some Anglican churches take strong issue with allowances made by the Episcopal Church. Almost every ten years since 1867, bishops of the Anglican Communion have met at the Lambeth Conference in England to determine resolutions for current issues in the Episcopal Church. Although the Lambeth outcomes are not actually mandates, the last conference in 1998 produced a resolution, sealed by a vote of 526-70, that "homosexual practice" was "incompatible with Scripture."

"There has been a good deal of controversy and discussion over whether or not the Episcopal Church in the U.S. has...gone too far out of what has been acceptable practices for member churches of Anglican churches worldwide," Hamilton explains, "and there are Anglican churches that have kicked us out."

If the Episcopal Church feels threatened, it is certainly hiding it well. During proceedings of this year's General Convention on June 18, the Church elected Katharine Jefferts Schori to be its 26th Presiding Bishop, marking the first appointment of a woman to the historic leadership position. Jefferts Schori is openly in favor of full inclusion of homosexual Episcopalians in clerical roles. She is also a friend of Robinson, who reportedly designed the pink campaign-style button prominently sported at the Convention that read, "It's a Girl!" atop the words "Katharine Jefferts Schori, 18 June 2006."

It is not yet clear what the Anglican Church thinks about Schori's election. After all, the Anglican Church is not entirely consistent in its traditional and conservative views, either. One resolution passed at a past Lambeth Conference includes "Issues in Human Sexuality," which was approved in 1991 and states that committed same-sex partnerships are within acceptable limits for laypersons although not for clergy. Even where gay clergy are concerned, Lambeth did not opt to ultimately shut them out.

"But there was another part of the resolution that said we do want a listening process in Anglican Churches around the world to listen to Episcopalians who are homosexuals," Hamilton says.

Then again, historically speaking, change has never quickly sat well in the Anglican or Episcopalian Churches. "In the '60s and '70s, people were unhappy about direction of the Church when it changed the language of the prayer book [from Latin to English], and some people were very unhappy when it started ordaining women," Hamilton says.

Not all Episcopalians favor unconventional and/or progressive moves within the Church that arguably mark clear scriptural departure. But Stebinger is actually one of the progressive ones, albeit on a per-case basis. And he is not alone. "I would say, by and large, Connecticut is a very diverse diocese theologically, ethnically and socio-economically, with a fairly large number of what would be viewed as liberal congregations," he says, adding that Connecticut's Diocesan Bishop Andrew D. Smith reinforces the diocese's progressive air.

"I am really, really proud of what Bishop Smith has done because of his decision to serve the diverse needs of the community," Stebinger beams. "We know that there are gay folk who are wonderful preachers, wonderful pastoral leaders, have all gifts of spiritual leadership we would look for in an ordained person, and the bishop feels really strongly that these people should be able to serve as ordained leaders."

Although he sees no need to curb his enthusiasm, Stebinger is realistic and acknowledges that not everyone shares his satisfaction. "I think the debate will remain open so that the national church will not take a clear stance one way or another." Still, he remains optimistic that progress is in motion and shall remain in motion.

"As there has been a dramatic increase in women [with clerical positions in the Episcopal Church] since 1980, over time I believe there will be an increase in gay clergy," he says. "[But] I think the true energy for this will come from congregations who will see gay folk as the most qualified available clergy and ask them to come and lead them."

As to whether the scriptures contain words that concretely exclude homosexual clergy, Stebinger's reply is "Yes," an answer he says he arrived at after scrutinizing the scriptures and determining that they do indeed prohibit gay and lesbian clergypeople. "So I honor my conservative brothers and sisters who believe that gay folk should not be in clergy leadership solely on the basis of what scripture says," he concludes. But, he adds, "I have come to believe that if the gifts of the Spirit are given by God, gifts of leadership, healing and preaching, then we need to be open to the possibility that God is calling that individual to ordained leadership."

Both Hamilton and Stebinger agree that scripture will always be open to interpretation. "Every church has its own integrity," Hamilton says. The homepage of IntegrityUSA.org, which touts itself as "a witness of God's inclusive love to the Episcopal Church and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community," sides with Psalm 84:11: "No good thing will God withhold from those who walk with Integrity."

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