Episcopal Group Fights Nominee for Bishop : Clergy: Conservatives are against the pastor from Minnesota because he would ordain homosexuals.

A leading conservative organization in the Episcopal Church has joined other traditionalists in an effort to block consecration of the Rev. James L. Jelinek as bishop of Minnesota because Jelinek has said he would ordain homosexuals to the priesthood and bless same-sex relationships.

In a statement released Monday, the acting director of the Episcopal Synod of America, based in Ft. Worth, said the synod would actively oppose Jelinek’s consecration, saying, “The ESA is dismayed at Jelinek’s open intention to ordain and to continue to bless the unions of practicing homosexual persons.”

The Episcopal Church has no hard-and-fast rule against ordaining practicing homosexuals, but the 1991 General Convention in Phoenix issued a ruling that sexual relations should be confined to marriage. Nonetheless, some bishops do ordain practicing homosexuals without censure from the church, and Jelinek has said he would not deny ordination to a candidate based solely on sexual orientation.

Jelinek was elected by Minnesota Episcopalians earlier this year to succeed Bishop Robert M. Anderson. But Jelinek’s consecration as bishop depends on the approval of a majority of the bishops and “standing committees” in each of the church’s dioceses across the country.

“Consent to his consecration as a bishop of the church would be further evidence of the Episcopal Church’s institutional departure from biblical and traditional teaching upon matters of moral behavior,” said the Rev. Samuel L. Edwards, acting director of the synod.

Edwards said, “The approval of Jelinek’s election by the Episcopal Church at large would be like the election of a president who openly intends to act against the Constitution and laws before they are changed by due authority,” said Edwards.

The Episcopal Synod said it would join a group of traditionalist Episcopalians in Minnesota and another national group, Episcopalians United, in opposing Jelinek’s election.

The rising movement to block Jelinek’s consecration--a rarity for a process in which confirmation of a bishop-elect is normally almost taken for granted--marks the second time in the past year that a challenge has been mounted at the confirmation stage.

Liberal Episcopalians sought but failed to block the consecration of the Rev. Jack Iker as a bishop in Ft. Worth because Iker promised to invoke church laws that allow individual bishops to refuse ordination to women.

Edwards said the anti-Jelinek movement differs in principle from the opposition to Iker.

“Iker’s refusal to ordain women to the priesthood--which the Episcopal Church permits but does not yet require--is contrary neither to Scripture nor to current church policy,” Edwards said. “Jelinek’s intent to ordain active homosexuals and to permit the blessings of their relationships is contrary to both.”