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Atwood reminded participants that the costs are higher on poor dioceses from the developing world, which in past years have faced financial repercussions for opposing the Episcopal Church.

"This realignment is not without cost. And yet again and again I've heard people with very sparse resources say the gospel is not for sale," Atwood said.

He quoted Bishop Benjamin Kwashi of the Diocese of Jos, Nigeria: "You can't make a pile of money so big that it will insulate me from the fires of hell."

Douglas LeBlanc is an associate editor for Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

See also yesterday's dispatch from the conference, "Conservative Episcopalians Challenge Church Politics as Usual."

The American Anglican Council and Christ Episcopal Church offer more information about the conference, including an agenda and news releases.

The AAC also has a draft document that includes an appeal to the primates of the Anglican Communion to "create a new alignment for Anglicanism in North America."

The Classical Anglican Net News weblog offers many links to mainstream news sources, denominational press pieces, and other Anglican blogs.

Other recent stories on the conference include:

Episcopalians seek reversal on gay stance | Participants planned a Thursday vote on a formal appeal to the international Anglican Communion (Associated Press)

Conservative Episcopalians urge return to orthodoxy (The Boston Globe)

Episcopalians make plans to reach out to gays | Participants in the three-day gathering say they do not want to leave people with the impression that their church doors are closed to gays and lesbians (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Tex.)

Accepting gays will draw world rebuke, bishop says | A conservative Episcopal bishop predicted yesterday that world Anglican leaders will rebuke the American branch of the church for its acceptance of homosexuality (The Washington Times)

Episcopal group may withhold money (The Birmingham News, Ala.)

Pittsburgh bishop sees war in church | He urges Anglican primates to rebuke U.S. Episcopalians (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Episcopalian lawyers add legal view of split | Parishes cautioned not to leave national church (Houston Chronicle)

Rightwing aims 'fuel gay bishop campaign' | Vociferous opponents of US Anglican appointment attract UK and African allies, stepping up pressure on Archbishop of Canterbury (The Guardian, London)

Bishop predicts trouble for Episcopal Church (The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J.)

Gay bishop opponents meet in US | US evangelicals opposed to the election of their church's first openly gay bishop are gathering in Dallas, Texas, today to plan a strategy that may precipitate a schism within the Anglican communion and put pressure on leaders of the church meeting next week in London (The Guardian, London)

Gay rights issue at heart of battle for a church's soul | The Episcopal Church — the church of the Founding Fathers and 11 U.S. presidents, the one with a sanctuary standing tall on thousands of Main Streets — may be heading for a theological civil war (USA Today)

Conservative Episcopalians gather to discuss gay bishop | Some Alabama Episcopalians, even those who opposed Robinson, are wary of the American Anglican Council's "A Place to Stand" conference in Dallas (The Birmingham News, Ala.)

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October (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47