Episcopalians install female leader
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer Sat Nov 4, 3:40 PM ET
WASHINGTON - Katharine Jefferts Schori took office Saturday as the
first female leader of The Episcopal Church and the first woman
priest to head an Anglican province, two landmarks that could
quickly be overshadowed by divisions over the Bible and sexuality
throughout world Anglicanism.
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Jefferts Schori, who supports ordaining gays, acknowledged the rift
in an elaborate ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral,
urging parishioners to "make peace" with those who oppose the
direction of the U.S. church. In 2003, the denomination consecrated
its first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New
Hampshire.
"If some in this church feel wounded by recent decisions, then our
salvation, our health as a body, is at some hazard, and it becomes
the duty of all of us to seek healing and wholeness," Jefferts
Schori said during her ceremony.
Jefferts Schori, 52, was bishop of Nevada when she was the surprise
winner of the election for presiding bishop at the Episcopal
General Convention in June. A former oceanographer who was ordained
in 1994, she had served only about five years as a bishop.
Her election was celebrated as a victory for woman clergy and for
Episcopalians who support full inclusion of gays and lesbians in
the 2.3 million-member denomination. It was decried by U.S.
traditionalists and many Anglicans overseas who do not want to
recognize Jefferts Schori's leadership.
More than 3,000 people filled the church to welcome the new
presiding bishop.
Worshippers stood and faced the doors of the cathedral as Jefferts
Schori knocked and entered, wearing a multicolored robe and miter.
She walked in a procession toward the front of the church, led by
people waving streamers and flags, as applause and music filled the
sanctuary.
Outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, who just completed his
nine-year term, turned over the symbol of authority, the primatial
staff, and Jefferts Schori stood beaming at the altar as onlookers
cheered. She received blessings in Hebrew from a rabbi, in Arabic
from a Muslim scholar, along with receiving prayers in several
other languages.
Jefferts Schori hopes to revitalize Episcopal parishes after years
of declining membership, and to advance the church's fight against
poverty and other social ills at home and abroad. She urged
Episcopalians on Saturday to work for "shalom" the Hebrew word
for peace by working to heal the world's suffering.
But internal conflicts are likely to consume much of her
time.
She will now represent the American denomination to the Anglican
world. Her job is complicated by her personal support for
Robinson's election and for blessing same-sex couples, though she
insists she won't impose her views on others. She said the U.S.
church should be willing to compromise "for a season" to stay in
the 77 million-member Anglican Communion.
That may not be enough to appease other branches of the Anglican
family, which take a traditional view that gay relationships are
prohibited by Scripture. Some Anglican leaders also reject the idea
of women's ordination: Jefferts Schori has said they'll have to
"get over it."
The majority of Anglicans worldwide have conservative views on
sexuality, but they are a minority in The Episcopal Church. Still,
by withholding money and building alliances with like-minded
Anglicans overseas, they have chipped away at the authority of the
denomination.
Seven U.S. conservative dioceses have already rejected Jefferts
Schori and have asked Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the
Anglican spiritual leader, to assign them another national leader.
Three of the dioceses do not support ordaining women.
Jefferts Schori has spent her life tackling challenges.
Along with her past career as a scientist, she is a rock climber
and a pilot who flew her plane to visit parishes around the
sprawling Nevada Diocese.
Her husband of more than 25 years, Richard Schori, is a retired
mathematician. Their daughter, 25-year-old Katharine Johanna, is a
pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
Jefferts Schori decided to pursue full-time ministry after federal
funding for her scientific research dried up.