Episcopalians Ordain 2nd Gay Bishop

The Episcopal Church has consecrated the Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool as its second openly gay bishop, seven years after stirring lingering controversy by ordaining a man to a similar post. She was installed at Long Beach Arena before 3,000 people, who burst into applause at the end, a church spokesman said. Just before the ceremony began, a man and a young boy were escorted out for shouting anti-homosexual slogans.

In 2004, Anglican leaders asked the Episcopal Church for a moratorium on electing another gay bishop while they tried to prevent a permanent break in the fellowship. But last year, the Episcopal General Convention affirmed that gay and lesbian priests were eligible to become bishops. "We are being the church we say we are," Glasspool said. "We're not just saying it, we're doing it and there's something very powerful about that." (More Episcopal Church stories.)