Reactions to Jefferts Schori election

Many reactions have poured in regarding the Presiding Bishop-elect, the Right Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori. Our own Bishop Wolf told me that Jefferts Schori is "fair, honest, and bright." I only had 10 seconds with the Bishop in the hallway, so I'll try to get more of a statement soon -- and also her reaction to other events of the Convention.

ENS has a story, entitled "Anglican leaders react favorably on Jefferts Schori election", which summarizes reaction from several primates. ENS also has some more background information on Jefferts Schori and the election yesterday.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued a statement today. He writes, in part, "I send my greetings to Bishop Katharine and she has my prayers and good wishes as she takes up a deeply demanding position at a critical time. She will bring many intellectual and pastoral gifts to her new work, and I am pleased to see the strength of her commitment to mission and to the Millennium Development Goals." The rest of his statement is online.

The Very Rev'd Sam Candler, dean of the cathedral in Atlanta, issued a statement which sees this election in the context of conversation with the Anglican Communion. Unsure of how the legislative response to the Windsor Report will turn out, Candler says this: "Thus, the Episcopal Church is choosing to respond incarnationally, with flesh, as is proper for any church who is part of the Anglican Communion. And the Episcopal Church is responding in a way that is faithful to our local expressions of Christian faith. In the sixth century, Pope Gregory famously advised the first Archbishop of Canterbury not to impose upon the new church in England customs which were unfamiliar to them: "Choose, therefore, from every Church those things that are pious, religious, and upright..." You can read his full statement on the Diocese of Atlanta's blog.

Conservative reaction has been as expected. The Anglican Communion Network has issued a statement, and Bishop Iker of Fort Worth has some things to say. Iker also read out a statement in the House of Bishops today, in which he appeals to the Archbishop of Canterbury so they won't have to answer to a woman. "The bishop and the standing committee of the diocese of Ft Worth appeal in good faith to the ABC, the Primates of the Anglican Communion and the Panel of Reference for immediate alternative Primatial Oversight and Pastoral care following the election of Katherine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church." Here's the report on that.

More as they come...

UPDATE: The last link, above, is broken as I write this. The Stand Firm in Faith website seems to be down. I'll leave the link up, hoping they fix the problem.