In the US, the Anglican Church, the Church of England, is known as the Episcopalian Church..
Anglican primates agreed Thursday that the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada would withdraw from a key body of the global Anglican Communion after failing to overcome internal church disagreements about the election of a gay bishop in the United States and the blessing of same-sex unions there and in Canada.
The agreement marked the first formal breach in the communion over the explosive issues of sexuality and biblical authority.
Can they reconcile? Should they reconcile? I doubt it. The split is too deep for that. This fight for gay rights mirrors the civil rights fights of the 50 and 60’s, when most established churches and institutions either opposed integration or were silent on the issue. After several years of protests in the streets, public opinion changed, and what was once considered a moderate stance, “well, they can drink from the same water fountain as us, but would you want your daughter to marry one”, was finally seen as the racist statement it was. The same will happen with gay rights too. In ten years, people will look at this fight now and be appalled by the rampant homophobia, wondering how people could have been so blind.
Conn. legislative panel backs civil unions
Connecticut’s legislature moved closer to legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples, as a key panel approved a measure that could make it the first state in the country to recognize gay unions through legislative action rather than court order.
New England is where the push for legalizing gay marriage began. Vermont was first, legalizing civil unions for gays. Massachusetts followed, permitting gay marriage for residents. Now Connecticut, where I grew up, may make it legal, period. Why New England? Because of a long history of belief in personal freedom combined with little influence from or respect for the religious right.