Lambeth Commission Releases Long-Awaited Report on Homosexuality in the Anglican Church

On Monday, October 18, 2004, the Anglican Communion released a statement regarding its formal stance on the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA)’s decision to consecrate an openly gay bishop last year. Last year, the majority of the bishops in the ECUSA voted to consecrate the actively gay Gene Robinson as bishop to the New Hampshire diocese. Following that decision, nearly half of the world’s 77-million Anglicans severed ties with the US branch, and called for the suspension of the ECUSA’s membership to the communion. Despite the threat of a communion-wide schism, the ECUSA neither apologized nor repented. Rather, the head of the ECUSA Frank Griswold repeatedly asked for “openness” and acceptance. The Windsor report essentially sided with the conservative Communion members, and urged ECUSA bishops to apologize for their decision and called for a moratorium on same-sex “marriages” and ordinations of gay individuals.