Church Rift Could Threaten Big Missionary Network

The rift between the Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion over homosexual clergy members and marriages could threaten one of the world’s most far-reaching missionary systems, reports The New York Times.

The Episcopal Church’s 2.3 million members finance one-third of the operations of its parent organization, the Anglican Church, which has 77 million members.

Many of those operations involve overseas evangelical work in Africa and Asia—regions where the Episcopalian leadership’s decisions to consecrate gay marriages and elevate gay bishops are less than popular.

So far, only one Anglican national church, in Uganda, has actually refused donations from the Episcopalians. However, Episcopalians face excommunication from the Communion, which last month issued an ultimatum demanding that the American branch stop its support of homosexuals by September 30.

Episcopal leaders have not decided how they will respond to the demand.