Will the Anglican Church Split Over Homosexual Bishops?

Trouble is brewing in the Anglican communion. The Episcopal Church in the United States has been increasingly divided since the consecration of Gene Robinson, a open and practicing homosexual, as bishop in 2003. Now, at a meeting in New Orleans, an uneasy compromise has been reached.

According to an AP report, published in the Guardian, Episcopal leaders agreed to "'exercise restraint' by not consenting to a candidate for bishop 'whose manner of life presents a challenge' to Anglicans and the church." But for traditional parishes and dioceses in the United States, that pledge is not likely to be enough, because it doesn't acknowledge that homosexual practice is incompatible with Christian moral teaching. In fact, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, referred to the pledge and a similar promise not to approve an official church blessing for same-sex couples as "sacrificial actions," implying that she and other Episcopal leaders regard changing standards on homosexuality as a positive good.

For now, four traditional dioceses in the United States are trying to place themselves under the control of Anglican churches in Africa, where bishops are strongly opposed to the dilution of Christian teaching on homosexuality. But previous conflicts in the Episcopal Church have led to a number of parishes converting to Catholicism, and, in the 1980's, Pope John Paul II approved an Anglican-use rite for such parishes and allowed married Anglican priests to be ordained as Catholic priests. And there have been rumors that Pope Benedict XVI intends to liberalize the use of the Anglican-use rite, just as he elevated the Traditional Latin Mass to equal status with the Mass of Pope Paul VI.

Is the Anglican Communion headed for destruction? And will the Catholic Church pick up the pieces? Tell us what you think in the Comments!