The new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

[chrishansenhome]

...is Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of Nevada. She is the first woman to be elected or chosen a Primate of a church within the Anglican tradition.

Is this a surprise? Yes, in a way. But she is very good on lesbian and gay issues, has been an extremely good bishop in Nevada, and will make a splendid Presiding Bishop and Primate.

The House of Deputies is currently considering the motion to confirm. More as it happens.

Louie Crew's information page on Bishop Jefferts Schori is here. Bishop Jefferts Schori's reaction to her election is here. May God, who began the good work in her, bring it to completion.

Comments

[thoburn.livejournal.com]

I'm quite curious abt this. so what r her good works actually?

[chrishansenhome.livejournal.com]

Well, to start off with, she has been very supportive of lesbian and gay people in the Episcopal Church. She voted for +Gene Robinson's consecration as Bishop of New Hampshire, and has been a firm supporter of Integrity both nationally and in Nevada. As for her other achievements, she speaks five languags, she has a doctorate in oceanography as well as a MDiv degree. She was invited by her fellow worshippers in her parish in Oregon to consider ordination (nothing like being invited from the pews by your fellow pew-dwellers!), and was ordained in 1994, becoming bishop of Nevada in 2000. She is a licensed pilot and often flies to her far-flung parishes (Nevada is a big relatively desolate place escept for Las Vegas and Reno).

I expect there will be a fair bit of fuss by Anglicans in places where women are not ordained (Singapore being one of those places). I also expect that General Convention will produce an attempt at a classic Anglican compromise over the Windsor Report and the fact that a member of an oppressed minority in the Church (ie, women) will be the Primate will colour the responses to that resolution.

Fun times ahead. Fasten your seatbelt--it's going to be a bumpy ride.