Sep 18, 2009  |  By: Amy Cavanaugh  | COMMENTS     

When 10 Maryland nuns left the Episcopal Church earlier this month and converted to Catholicism, they did so in part because they felt their former church was too liberal on LGBT issues.

“We just seemed to be following different paths,” said Christina Christie, superior of the All Saints Sisters of the Poor, the order that converted.

“We have more orthodox ways of thinking, and the church was traveling a more social and political path than we are. This isn’t about one specific thing, but a conglomeration of things that happened over the last several years.”

Two nuns did not convert with the others, but they will all continue to live together.

Christie told the Blade that the sisters were “not on the same wavelength” with the Episcopal Church’s acceptance of gays, and they oppose the ordination of women.

She said they had been considering the conversion for several years because the church the sisters joined was more “orthodox” in its teachings, and “most of the sisters were still in that stage, whereas the Episcopal Church has gone forward.”

“We’ve gained a lot through our relationship with the Episcopal Church, and it contributed to our growing, but what it’s done is lead us more toward the Catholic Church,” she said. “There was a subtle swing in theology and approach in the Episcopal Church, while the Catholic Church tends to be more orthodox in their teaching.”

Some observers say the nuns’ split from the Episcopal Church is indicative of continuing struggles within denominations that are taking steps toward greater acceptance of LGBT people.

During the last six years, Episcopal Church leaders and delegates have moved toward fully including LGBT people in the church. And those moves have spurred some backlash.

In 2003, openly gay Gene Robinson was elected bishop of the New Hampshire diocese. After he entered the post in 2004, several parishes voted to leave the Episcopal Church, including parishes in California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

During a meeting this summer, bishops declared gays and lesbians eligible for any ordained ministry in the church. The decision upset Anglican leaders who sought a moratorium on such ordinations.

Episcopal Church leaders said at the time they were committed to membership in the Anglican Communion, but some observers have suggested that the Anglican Church is headed for a schism.

The situation could be exacerbated as denomination members prepare to name the next assistant bishops of Los Angeles. Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool of Maryland, a lesbian, and Rev. John Kirkley of San Francisco, who is gay, are among the six finalists for the two jobs. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Minnesota, which is holding its election for bishop in October, nominated Rev. Bonnie Perry, a lesbian, for the role.

But one pastor said the regions would do well to welcome the nominees.

“I know Mary and Bonnie,” said Rev. Monique Ellison, a lesbian who’s volunteering at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in D.C. “Bonnie was my field supervisor, and I don’t know Mary as well, but I know people who work with her are very excited about the possibility that she could be a bishop in Los Angeles.

“All of these are fine candidates and fine priests and the churches are going to be great with any one of them.”

Despite the denominational turmoil, one observer said the Episcopal Church is leading the way among churches working to revise its approach to LGBT issues and people.

“I think the Episcopal Church is the future,” said Sylvia Rhue, religious affairs director for the National Black Justice Coalition. “It is the Episcopal Church that is going forward, and the one opening up to have a message of hospitality for all people.”

Rhue said that like the Episcopal Church, other denominations “have to start facing the truth about human sexuality and sexual orientation” if they want to retain younger members of churches, who are often more open-minded on LGBT issues.

“If they promulgate myths about sexual orientation, like it’s a choice or that being gay is sinful or wrong, and kids know that’s not true, then they’re going to feel they were lied to all their lives and not want to be part of a situation that is not about truth telling,” she said.

Ellison also noted that gay issues are so divisive in religion “because of people’s need for certainty” about faith and salvation.

“I think we forget that theology has been developing since the very beginning, and I guess that this is just the time that human sexuality is the thing we need to work out as people of faith,” she said.

“People say that it’s not about fear, ...