12/05/2009

Diocese of Los Angles breaks all ceilings.

Yesterday the Diocese of Los Angles elected its first woman bishop, today its first woman bishop in a partnered relationship. In both cases the diocese elected wonderfully talented and gracious people. Bishop elect Diane Jardine Bruce was elected quickly yesterday. Moving on to the second election Bishop elect Mary Douglas Glasspool was elected after seven rounds.

Here to the right is the clip from the seventh and last round on the second election. The election quickly became a contest between Mary Glasspool and Martir Vasquez, with Mary gathering more clergy and Martir more lay votes in early balloting.

This election will of course be noted because Bishop elect Glasspool is a partnered lesbian. It will bring forward the practical possibilities of gaining sufficient consents from dioceses and bishops. There will need to be a great deal of support for her as her request for consents goes forward.

It will be too easy in all the thumping around to miss the point that The Rev. Mary Glasspool is superbly qualified, has served the church in a wide variety of ways, and is spiritually centered. The Diocese of Los Angles obviously though long and hard about it all and is walking with her in this journey.

Both bishops elect will need our prayers as they work into these new ministries.

5 comments:

  1. Wonderful news from the Diocese of Los Angeles.

    The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana elected a bishop today, too, Fr Morris Thompson. He was my favorite amongst the candidates.

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  2. I, for one, welcome the chorus of winging Donatists and their enablers. Let us proclaim the Gospel with boldness and not allow those who refuse to sing due to their "purity" to mope along.

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  3. Is there any support from the Word of God for actions like this? If so, please provide.
    T.Mathew

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  4. Not a broken ceiling. The stained glass ceiling is still very much intact. They were elected to the positions of bishop suffragan - not diocesan. Maybe then you could have claimed a break. For now, it's just a mighty whack.

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  5. The Rev Canon Mary Glasspool is an exemplary human being whose talents, skills, faithfulness, and genuine humility combine to endow any space she inhabits with God's presence. Her humor, spirit, intelligence and so many other qualities too numerous to mention will grace the Diocese of Los Angeles and the church at large. I pray for many blessings for Mary and to LA and to those she will leave behind in the Diocese of Maryland.

    Christina Lee, Delaware

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