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4 Vie for Highest Episcopal Church Post

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Times Religion Writer

The Episcopal Church has nominated four bishops for the office of presiding bishop, a post to be decided when the 3-million-member denomination holds its triennial convention Sept. 7-14 in Anaheim.

The men selected by a nominating committee this week include the first black ever picked as a candidate for the church’s highest post, Bishop John T. Walker, 60, of Washington, D.C.

The others nominated to succeed Presiding Bishop John M. Allin, who has held the position for 12 years, are Bishop Edmond L. Browning, 56, of Honolulu; Bishop William C. Frey, 55, of Denver, and Bishop Furman C. Stough, 56, of Birmingham, Ala.

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Walker is one of about eight black bishops among the 180 active Episcopal Church prelates.

All the nominees are former missionaries and have been involved in urban issues and peace ministries in their dioceses.

Leadership changes in some of the largest Los Angeles Jewish congregations are continuing. Temple Beth Am, a 1,200-family Conservative synagogue now celebrating its 50th anniversary, has named Rabbi Joel Rembaum, dean of undergraduate studies at Los Angeles’ University of Judaism, as its new senior rabbi.

Rembaum will begin his duties July 1, succeeding Rabbi Jacob Pressman, who is retiring after 35 years at Beth Am and who will assume the mantle of rabbi emeritus.

Within the last 12 months, death ended Rabbi Edgar F. Magnin’s long tenure at the head of Wilshire Boulevard Temple and, more recently, Rabbi Maurice Lamm announced that he will leave Beth Jacob Congregation, the West’s largest Orthodox synagogue, for a new teaching position.

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