ALBANY, N.Y.  At a special convention Sept. 20, more than 200 clergy and lay delegates voted overwhelmingly to denounce the national Episcopal Church's decisions to confirm the election of an openly homosexual bishop and to recognize same sex unions.
The Times Union reported the Episcopal Diocese of Albany is the first in the Northeast to formally criticize the national church's leadership and joins others denouncing the actions. The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida rebuked the national congregation during a recent special convention. (See related story, Diocese rebukes Episcopal Church votes)
Episcopal Church USA has been in turmoil since August, when it confirmed the election of V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire and voted to recognize homosexual unions.
Since then, according to news reports, a number of diocese have withheld or threatened to withhold funding to the national office.
The Albany diocese stopped short of halting financial payments, but clearly rejected the historic and divisive actions taken at the national conference.
"The norm is still the same: a man and a woman in a lifelong union," Albany Bishop Daniel Herzog told more than 600 people at the Albany convention. "Once we approve of sexual relationships outside marriage, the barn door is open. We might as well get our theology from Dr. Ruth."
The 19-county diocese that includes roughly 12,000 Episcopalians joins about 12 other among the 108 nationwide to denounce the homosexual bishop's acceptance. All others are in the South and West, the newspaper reported.
