Though she was disappointed in the decision, Utah's Episcopal bishop said she will follow the direction of delegates to the Episcopal Church's General Convention, who approved a non-binding measure earlier this week urging leaders of their church to "exercise restraint" in future votes on ordaining gay bishops.
The Right Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish told the Deseret Morning News on Thursday she couldn't vote for the measure, "but that doesn't mean I won't obey it, because the church voted for it."
Bishop Irish has been a voice for the gay and lesbian community both in Utah in within the larger Episcopal Church, and approved the controversial 2003 ordination of Bishop Eugene Robinson of New Hampshire, who is openly gay and lives with his partner.
Delegates to the church's just-completed nine-day General Convention in Columbus, Ohio, grappled with proposals that would have more strictly limited church leaders' decision making with regard to future gay ordinations, and failed to pass an earlier version of a measure that would have prevented such actions in the future.
In a final attempt at salvaging relations with the worldwide Anglican Communion — of which the Episcopal Church is a part — the delegates approved a resolution on the final day of deliberations calling on church leaders to "exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."
After Robinson's controversial ordination, a majority of Anglican leaders worldwide condemned the American bishops for their vote, and have since sought to rein them in by issuing a document titled the "Windsor Report." It called on U.S. bishops to apologize for Bishop Robinson's ordination, and advocated sanctions against similar future action.
When a more stringent proposal for restriction on U.S. bishops failed earlier this week, Presiding U.S. Bishop Frank Griswold urged the delegates to make some concession to the 77 million member Anglican Communion's call for restraint. "Unless there is a clear perception on the part of our Anglican brothers and sisters that they have been taken seriously in their concerns, it will be impossible to have any genuine conversation," Griswold said.
Though she was disappointed in the concession approved this week, Bishop Irish wondered what would have happened if the delegates had addressed the issue earlier in the convention "before we were all just worn down."
The resolution will only be binding on the U.S. church for three years, until the next General Convention, she said.
Delegates also affirmed Bishop Irish's nomination of Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to become presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, beginning in November. "I was overwhelmed to see that happen," she said.
"To my eyes and ears, there was no campaigning, no other kinds of little caucuses like you see in a political system. It was much more like something that happened to us rather than something we did. Most of us couldn't believe it . . . She speaks from a deep place, and will speak well for our church. I hope other provinces give her a chance."
Bishop Schori is the first woman elected to lead a denomination within the Anglican Communion, and some provinces within the group oppose the ordination of women to any office.
Human rights gala in Orem Saturday
OREM — The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson will be the keynote speaker for the Second Annual Human Rights Campaign Utah Gala Dinner on Saturday in Orem at the Bruce Bastian estate.
Entertainment for the event will be provided by Tony award-winner Jennifer Holliday.
The evening will begin with a silent auction at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Awards will be given to the Utah AIDS Foundation, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and Radio West talk show host Doug Fabrizio.
Tickets can be purchased from www.boxofficetickets.com, or by calling 1-800-494-TIXS. General admission tickets are $150, VIP tickets are $300.
E-mail: carrie@desnews.com