We aren’t expecting many mainstream media folks until next week, with the exception of The Los Angeles Times, for whom, in some ways, this is a local story. But Cathy Lee Grossman of USA Today did file this curtain raiser. (Now if only her copy desk was aware that Episcopal is an adjective and Episcopalian is the noun. Or perhaps they do know and just couldn’t come up with anything else that fit the space available.)
The convention begins with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, leading a forum on poverty, and “we want to add new initiatives on domestic poverty,” Rudig says. “Yes, human sexuality is certainly going to be part of our conversation. But it’s just that — a part.”
With a legislature second in size only to India’s, she says, “we’ll also talk about polity, about how we govern ourselves. … We’re messy and noisy and transparent, and out of it comes the remarkable work we do.”
Some conservatives who stayed with the Episcopal Church even though they disagreed on gay bishops and blessing same-sex marriage are concerned that sexuality issues interfere with the church’s missions and development in Third World countries. Since 2003, some African and South American Anglican archbishops have refused to take communion with Episcopal Church leaders or partner with the church on projects.