The Episcopal Church named four nominees to be its new leader Wednesday, three of whom approved the consecration of the denomination's first openly gay bishop.
The group includes Bishop J. Neil Alexander of Atlanta; Bishop Edwin F. Gulick Jr. of Louisville, Ky; and Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of Las Vegas, all of whom approved V. Gene Robinson's consecration as bishop in New Hampshire in 2003.Schori is the first woman nominated to be the church's presiding bishop.The only nominee to vote against Robinson was Bishop Henry N. Parsley Jr. of Birmingham, Ala.
The new presiding bishop, who succeeds the retiring Frank Griswold, will be elected June 19 during the church's General Convention for a term extending to 2015.
Robinson's consecration later that year provoked ongoing protest from the denomination's conservative wing and among Anglicans internationally.
The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the international Anglican Communion and its presiding bishop is part of its body of 38 "primates." Anglican leaders and churches overseas, particularly in Africa, broke ties with the American church over Robinson's elevation and denounced Griswold for leading Robinson's consecration ceremony.
AP
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