Church More Inclusive Of Gays West-Side Episcopalians Back Ordaining Of Gays And Lesbians

Western Washington Episcopalians have approved a resolution that says homosexuality is “morally neutral,” and supports ordaining gays and lesbians.

The resolution was approved Friday by delegates to the annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia by a 244-190 vote. The same measure was defeated in 1995 and was tabled last year.

Passage this year is a sign that the Episcopal Church is moving toward full inclusion of gays and lesbians, said the Very Rev. Frederick Northup, dean of St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle.

Before the vote, several evangelical Christian street preachers spoke against the measure outside the Tacoma Convention Center, where the meeting took place. About 800 Episcopalians attended the two-day meeting, which concluded Saturday.

Among the resolution’s major points:

“We believe that some of us are created heterosexual and some of us are created homosexual.”

Gay and lesbian clergy already are serving the Episcopal Church “with effectiveness and integrity.” Gays and lesbians in relationships “marked by faithfulness, love and life-giving holiness” should not be excluded from becoming clergy.

Gay and lesbian relationships that are “faithful, monogamous, committed, life-giving and holy are to be honored.”