At the 1988 Lambeth Conference, the bishops were exercised by the possibility that The Episcopal Church of the US (TEC) was about to consecrate its first female bishop, the black divorcee Barbara Harris. Sure enough, six months later, they did. The Episcopal Church has since been rightly celebrated for championing women's ordination. The US was far ahead of so many of the other 37 Anglican provinces worldwide.
Time might yet show them to have been ahead on the gay debate too. TEC ordained a gay bishop in 2003 and recognises same-sex marriages. This week it was suspended from full participation in the Anglican Communion over its liberal stance.
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