First woman bishop.

[matriarch]

Woman bishop takes over Church

Katharine Jefferts Schori has taken office as the first female leader anywhere in the Anglican denomination.

Bishop Jefferts Schori, 52, became the presiding bishop and primate of the US Episcopal Church at an investiture service in Washington DC.

She was selected in June to lead the 2.3m-strong Church after narrowly winning a vote.

The choice has proven controversial as most other Anglican Churches around the world do not allow women to be bishops.

More than 3,000 well-wishers attended the investiture ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral.

Outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold gave her the symbol of her authority, the primatial staff.

Profile: Bishop Jefferts Schori

Bishop Jefferts Schori said in her homily: "If some in this Church feel wounded by recent decisions, then our salvation, or health, as a body is at some hazard.

"And it becomes the duty of all of us to seek healing and wholeness."

Bishop Jefferts Schori had been raised a Roman Catholic and is a qualified pilot and a graduate in marine biology.

She served as bishop in Nevada for five years before beating six candidates in June to head the Episcopal Church.

Seven conservative US dioceses have already refused to accept her authority.

KATHARINE JEFFERTS SCHORI
Born 1954 in Pensacola, Florida
Consecrated Bishop of Nevada in 2001
Supporter of ordination of gay bishops

 

[oggbashan]

About time too... but...

It had to come eventually once women priests were accepted within the Anglican/Episcopalian communion.

The mere fact of her appointment is going to exacerbate divisions within the Church. The African bishoprics are going to find it very difficult to accept.

I wish there was a will to accept women as equals throughout the church. I regret that there isn't.

Og

 

[ChristopherMaxwell]

Ah, the first female with such a powerful position in a Christian church since...Mary Magdalene?

 

[Pure]

that's great news, matriarch. i think the anglicans are almost a 'best case' (among xtian denominations). i don't think the southern baptists are altering their treatment of women. the fight goes on.!!

 

[Liar]

Good going. You're on the right path. We had two female bishops for a few years, but that was because they used to be appointed by the guv'ment. Separation of church and state has been a weird pseudo state of affairs up until 2001, then the separation was complete and there was no political control of the church anymore.

But in October this year, Antje Jackelén was appointed as the first chuch-elected female bishop in the country. Personally, I don't really care if she's a man or woman, but she also happens to be one of the most sensible and genuinely wise persons I ever met. Any curch or community needs people like her.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Sorry... Vickers in knickers just ain't right. I'm in favor of equality and all, but...

 

[ChristopherMaxwell]

Sorry... Vickers in knickers just ain't right. I'm in favor of equality and all, but...

Are they pretty? I'm a Solarist, but I might be tempted to try "Communion" with a hot priestess. I'd just have to sacrifice more virgins later to atone for it. LOL.

 

[angela146]

No, she isn't the first Female Bishop in the Episcopal Church in the US. There have been female bishops before.

She is the first female presiding bishop. In other words, she is in charge of the whole US Episcopal church. This is the US equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

This is a very very big deal.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/202/story_20262_1.html

WASHINGTON -- At a ceremony filled with pomp and tradition, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will become the first woman in Anglicanism's nearly 520-year history to lead a national church when she is installed as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church on Nov. 4.

Seated on the bishop chair's in Washington's National Cathedral before what is expected to be an overflow crowd, Jefferts Schori, 52, will be handed the primatial staff, which symbolizes her guidance over the nation's 2.2 million Episcopalians.

 

[matriarch]

No, she isn't the first Female Bishop in the Episcopal Church in the US. There have been female bishops before.

She is the first female presiding bishop. In other words, she is in charge of the whole US Episcopal church. This is the US equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

This is a very very big deal.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/202/story_20262_1.html

WASHINGTON -- At a ceremony filled with pomp and tradition, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will become the first woman in Anglicanism's nearly 520-year history to lead a national church when she is installed as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church on Nov. 4.

Seated on the bishop chair's in Washington's National Cathedral before what is expected to be an overflow crowd, Jefferts Schori, 52, will be handed the primatial staff, which symbolizes her guidance over the nation's 2.2 million Episcopalians.

My apologies for inaccurate wording.
I stand corrected.
But.......like you said.........this is a VERY BIG DEAL.

 

[matriarch]

Sorry... Vickers in knickers just ain't right. I'm in favor of equality and all, but...

Not sure whether you're just being flippant, or genuinely showing out and out illogical discrimination against women priests.

If its the first, ha-ha, very witty.
If its the second.......how very very sad.

 

[English Lady]

This is cool, what will be cooler will be the day when it won't matter what sex the bishop. arch bishop is because it will not be unusual for a woman to be in that position.

 

[matriarch]

This is cool, what will be cooler will be the day when it won't matter what sex the bishop. arch bishop is because it will not be unusual for a woman to be in that position.

Exactly.

 

[MercyMia]

My apologies for inaccurate wording.
I stand corrected.
But.......like you said.........this is a VERY BIG DEAL.

Amen, amen.

I wonder what the 7 dioceses who have refused to accept her will do. And where are they--Texas?

 

[sophia jane]

Pat Robertson came out against this (of course), but in an article about it, there's this quote from him saying feminism is
"socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."


On topic- part of the controversy isn't just that she's a woman but she's liberal; she's very open-minded about all possible paths to God, and that makes the conservatives a little freaky. They see a woman in charge who's open-minded and it's their worst nightmare.

 

[Liar]

She is the first female presiding bishop. In other words, she is in charge of the whole US Episcopal church. This is the US equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Even funkier. Kudos.

 

[angela146]

On topic- part of the controversy isn't just that she's a woman but she's liberal; she's very open-minded about all possible paths to God, and that makes the conservatives a little freaky. They see a woman in charge who's open-minded and it's their worst nightmare.

And, in the US, the liberals are the *majority* in the Episcopal church.

From Wikipedia:

Jefferts Schori voted to consent to the election of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, the controversial appointment of a gay bishop. Therefore, her election as Presiding Bishop has been regarded by some conservative Episcopalians as a confirmation that the Episcopal Church is unwilling to change its institutional views on homosexuality and Christianity, especially gays in ordained ministry or living in committed relationships.