Although bishops of an Episcopal Church court indicated they were not judging the morality of homosexual behavior, their 7-to-1 decision to dismiss heresy charges against retired bishop Walter C. Righter will have far-reaching implications for the church's position on homosexuality. In a May 15 ruling in Wilmington, Delaware, the court cleared Righter, who in 1990 ordained a professing homosexual to the diaconate.

"We hope that we will be able to continue in mutual ministry with those that oppose us," the denomination's homosexual caucus, Integrity, said in a statement. "There's so much more that unites us than divides us." Integrity spokesperson Kim Byham said about half of the denomination's 100 dioceses could join the 25 already ordaining homosexuals.

Central Florida Bishop John W. Howe, who has been active in charismatic and evangelical renewal, said, "Everyone has felt all along that whatever decision was made would bring clarity to this issue. And it has. We're disappointed, but we're not surprised." Howe, one of ten bishops who brought charges against Righter, added that four of the judges had "done the same thing the accused has done."

Righter's accusers claim that his controversial action violated both church doctrine prohibiting the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals and his ordination vows to uphold the church's doctrine. The court defined core doctrine in terms of the "essence of Christianity," that which is "necessary for salvation," concluding that Righter had not violated it.

LONE DISSENT: In his lone dissenting opinion, Bishop Andrew Fairfield of North Dakota took issue with the majority's definition of doctrine, stating, "I am convinced that the Episcopal Church does have doctrine which proscribes ordination ...