Following the social issue of homosexuality which many have speculated would lead to intense debates yet no one expected would create a rift within the Anglican Church, 4 Episcopal dioceses have announced they are ready to split from the Anglican community and submit to a new alternative leader.


The Episcopal diocese of San Joaquin Valley, along with those of Pittsburgh, South Carolina and Fort Worth, Texas, which have declared themselves against the ordination of gays, stated that they want to break away from their other more liberal US counterparts, which endorse such policies. The announcement follows a previous declaration of the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the international spiritual leader of the faith, who stated that dioceses which do not support still-vague guidelines that limit same sex marriages and ordination of gays and lesbians, would have a lesser status. The more conservative dioceses support such policies but still desire to keep a distance from the more liberal American ones.

In an official statement released by leaders of the Episcopal diocese of South Carolina, it was said: "Prejudice and bigotry are clearly wrong and must be exposed and rejected. The rhetoric of 'inclusion' has, however, often been used to obscure the Communion's teaching that, on the basis of Holy Scripture, the church cannot bless same-sex unions nor can we ordain those engaged in homosexual practice."

The problem with the Anglican community (or Episcopal Church, as it is called in the US) is that, as opposed to the Pope, who dictates all policies for the Roman Catholic Church, the archbishop is not in liberty to do that.

Another problem is represented by the diocese of California, which contains ideologies at both ends of the spectrum: for example, San Francisco has been allowing the union of homosexuals for over 27 years now, while that of San Joaquin is still against the ordination of women.