More from the interview with Diane Rehm
Regarding Gene Robinson
Katharine Jefferts Schori: I think it's vitally important for this church to affirm the goodness of all of God's creation and the place of all God's people in this church. When we consented to Gene Robinson's election in 2003, we were simply confirming what the people of New Hampshire had seen in Gene. His gifts, his long history in that diocese, and his vocation to be their bishop.
Do you see the church moving forward to ordain outspokenly gay persons under your leadership?
Katharine Jefferts Schori: We have been ordaining gay and lesbian persons in this church for years and years and years. In recent years they have been able to be open about their sexual orientation and honest about that, and I don't see any retreat from that among deacons and priests, I think we will experience a pause in the consecration of bishops who are openly gay, and that makes me very sad. Because I believe that God equally calls people of both sexual orientations to leadership in this church.
...
We would have been more judicious if we had affirmed the ability to bless same-sex unions--monogamous, lifelong unions--before we were faced with the reality of consenting to the election of a person in such a relationship. The church has not formally done that. We have recognized in our convention of 2003 that the blessing of such unions is within the range of appropriate pastoral practice in this church, but we have not authorized a rite for blessing such unions. And we're not in the process of doing that at the moment. It may come to the next General Convention, or the one after that.
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