The Episcopalian Church is noted for being more liberal than some other denominations, but the decision of churches in America and England has caused some other Anglican congregations around the world. Pastors representing congregations outside the United States and England have urged restraint and within the two countries the ordination of GLBT ministers has urge.
The Episcopal Church has promised to show restraint in the ordination of ministers who may be actively living with a gay partner and to not offer blessings to same sex couples, but the issue is a slightly larger. Social conservatives within the Episcopalian churches threaten a schism should the more socially liberal leanings favored by higher ranking members of church leadership win out. The decision to not openly accept gay ministers or to bless same sex couples has been an issue of the Episcopalian and Anglican churches since 2003 when the first openly gay Anglican minister was ordained. At the time, conservatives threatened to form another Episcopalian denomination.
Such a split would not be the first time one Protestant Denomination formed due to doctrinal differences with the current leadership, but the social issues involved may make it the first such split that gets wide spread publicity. Although the 2006 meeting promised restraint, and conservative Episcopalian bishops from other countries chided the Anglican leaders for causing the schism threat in the first place, many Episcopalian ministers will continue to conduct blessings of same-sex meetings privately.
The new restraint policy may please the more socially conservative Episcopalian ministers and members, but is a step backward for what had previously been a progressive and forward thinking denomination. The Episcopalian and Anglican church leaders may have made the concession for the sake of unity, but doing what they felt was right in the face of criticism would have been a bolder move.
Episcopalian leaders on both sides were less concerned about the interpretation of the scripture at issue, but keeping unity amongst the church's membership.
Perhaps the Episcopalian leadership was more concerned in saving their organization where possible rather than doing what was right, but odds are had they gone through with their initial plan, the schism might have occurred, but new members would have come to the churches in light of the more open policy. The more Conservative Christians will be more likely to attend Fundamentalist or Evangelical churches rather than the highly ritualistic services offered by the Episcopalians.
