I wrote:

Rt. Rev. William J. Winterrowd
Bishop of Colorado
1300 Washington St
Denver CO 80203

Gentle Bishop Winterrowd,

I would appreciate receiving any pastoral statement that you can give me to pass along to lesbigay Anglicans.  Thank you for your candor about offering us as scapegoats in an admittedly complicated set of pressures.  We would feel much less put upon if you could be taking these stances in dialogue with us.

By Jean Torkelson
Rocky Mountain News Religion Writer

Colorado Episcopal Bishop Jerry Winterrowd said he made a strictly pragmatic decision last week to declare homosexuality "incompatible with Scripture."

Winterrowd, a longtime supporter of gay rights in Colorado, voted with the 526-70 majority of bishops at the worldwide Lambeth Conference in England.

"Frankly, the African church needed that vote to take back with them," said Winterrowd, the leader of 72,000 Episcopalians. "They are under a great deal of pressure politically because the Muslims are watching."

Bishop Winterrowd responded:

August 28, 1998

Mr. Louie Crew
PO Box 30
Newark, NJ 07101

Dear Louie

Bishop Winterrowd values the letters and other communication he receives.  He has asked me to respond to your letter of August 13, 1998.

Your input is valued by Bishop Winterrowd. It is important for people of faith on all sides of an issue to clearly articulate what they believe the Holy Spirit is saying, so that the church may in a considerate and deliberate way find the historic and newly unfolding guidance of that Spirit.

Thank you for taking the time to write to us.  If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call me.  I wish you God's blessing on your ministry.

• Compare the response above to that which Bishop Winterrowd wrote for consumption in his diocese.
• See another response: Bishop Winterrowd washes his hands of it, by Jeff Harris
• Return to Louie Crew's collection of materials on the Lambeth Conference.
• Louie Crew's Anglican pages.
• Louie Crew's home page.
• Send mail to: lcrew@newark.rutgers.edu

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