Anglicans sanction US Episcopal Church over gay marriage

Anglican leaders on Thursday temporarily
restricted the role of the U.S. Episcopal Church in
their global fellowship as a sanction over the
American church's acceptance of gay marriage.
Episcopalians have been barred for three years
from any policy-setting positions in the Anglican
Communion while a task force is formed that will
try to reconcile conflicting views over sexuality in
the 85-million-member family of churches. The
Episcopal Church is the Anglican body in the
United States.
The announcement came near the end of a
weeklong meeting in Canterbury, England, called
by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, to
heal rifts over same-sex relationships and keep
the Anglican Communion from splitting apart.
Welby, the Anglican spiritual leader, has set a
news conference Friday in Canterbury to explain
the leaders' decision.
Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who
was installed in office less than three months
ago, has been attending the meeting. He told the
other leaders their vote "will bring real pain" to
gays and lesbians and to Episcopalians
"committed to following Jesus in the way of love
and being a church that lives that love." Still, he
said he was committed to the Anglican family.