Barlowe, a former Wall Street banker, is Congregational Development Officer for the Diocese of California. He is a native of North Carolina and has been living with his homosexual partner for 23 years.

His partner is Fr. Paul Burrows, rector of Church of the Advent of Christ the King in San Francisco an historic Anglo-Catholic parish in the Episcopal Diocese of California. It describes itself as an "inclusive parish in the Anglo-Catholic tradition". He is also a spiritual director, a Benedictine oblate of Elmore Abbey in Newbury in England, and a naturalized US citizen. He remains an associate priest of the Walsingham shrine in Norfolk. Barlowe is listed as the "Associate priest" of the parish.

While there is no guarantee that he will be elected the next bishop, (the Diocese of California quickly deep-sixed two gay candidates in recent elections to replace outgoing Bishop William Swing), the very act of having an openly gay man as a candidate represents a level of defiance and rebelliousness, especially in face of recent decisions of General Convention held in Columbus, Ohio.

The passage of Resolution B033 states with absolute clarity; "That the 75th General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Report and that this Convention therefore calls upon Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."

The message was clear - no more sodomite bishops. The Diocese of Newark has no intention of listening apparently. If he is elected, he will be the second openly-gay bishop in the US, after V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire. Another openly gay bishop is Otis Charles, the retired bishop of Utah and retired Dean of Episcopal Divinity School.

Barlowe's candidacy further signals that the chasm is now so wide and deep that any talk of reconciliation between orthodox and liberal/revisionist pro gay Western provinces is now little more than a figment of the Left's imagination.

This act of defiance is particularly egregious in light of the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent defining letter to his 37 Primates that called for a covenant to be signed, specifically setting out agreed Anglican formularies and doctrines if they wished to be counted as "constituent" or full Anglicans. Those unable to sign up will be cast out into mere "associate" status, similar to that presently occupied by the Methodist church.

But the new president of Integrity the Rev. Susan Russell applauded the Diocese of Newark's decision to include a gay candidate in the list of nominees.

Ripping the language of B033, Russell said the General Convention resolution contained veiled language calling for the discrimination against gays and lesbians in this church. "We are very pleased that the Diocese of Newark has declined to be bullied into bigotry."

"Integrity applauds the Diocese of Newark for offering a stellar slate of qualified candidates to replace retiring Bishop John Croneberger -- and is delighted that the list includes the Reverend Michael Barlowe, an openly gay priest who has been in a partnered relationship for 24 years."

Russell said the election of any bishop "whose manner of life" presents a "challenge" to the greater communion is received by Integrity is a tremendous sign of hope for the Episcopal Church and for its commitment to the full inclusion of LGBT people in the Body of Christ. Russell then said this: "We recognize that had the language in question been in place prior to the election of our Presiding Bishop-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori we might not be preparing to celebrate the gift of the first female Primate to the Anglican Communion."

Said Russell, "Our prayers will be with the Diocese of Newark, that they may be given the same faithful courage in electing their next diocesan bishop as the Episcopal Church was given in electing our next Presiding Bishop."

The Rev. John Kirkley, president of San Francisco's Oasis community, a LesBiGayTransgender Episcopal ministry said the nomination of an openly gay priest from San Francisco as one of four candidates to become their 10th Bishop, the Diocese of Newark has reaffirmed that our church does not discriminate against LGBT people.

"The Diocese of Newark refuses to lie about the Holy Spirit's presence in the ministries of gay and lesbian clergy. God can not and will not be restrained but continues to raise up leaders whose manner of life challenges the intolerance, bigotry, and fear now poisoning the Anglican Communion," he added.

Clearly the newly renovated 'stained glass ceiling' put into place to prevent this kind of thing from happening has been shattered by Barlowe's nomination. It may meet with the approval of Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold (who will undoubtedly preside at his consecration as he did Gene Robinson, if he is elected) and there is little doubt that the new Presiding Bishop, Mrs. Schori will also preside.

But one thing is for sure, his nomination and possible election is just one more slap in the face at both the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Global South archbishops and bishops, and a more fundamental statement that the church's pansexualists have no intention of changing their behavior, and by doing so they are not only sending themselves to Hell they are willing to take many with them. The "gospel" of inclusion is not the gospel of transformation.

END

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An American Anglican Council Statement Regarding the Nomination of a Non-Celibate Homosexual in the Diocese of Newark.

The Episcopal Diocese of Newark has announced its nominees for diocesan bishop and has included a non-celibate homosexual living with his same-sex partner as one of the candidates.

The Very Rev. Canon Michael Barlowe, Congregational Development Officer for the Diocese of California, notes in his personal profile that, "Paul Burrows has been my partner for 24 years. Paul is Rector of Church of the Advent in San Francisco , a spiritual director, Benedictine oblate, and naturalized U.S. citizen." Canon Barlowe's manner of life is contradictory to Scripture and the mind of the Anglican Communion (Lambeth 1.10) and illustrates a theology outside the confines of classic Anglicanism.

In the wake of the Episcopal Church's failure to comply with the Windsor Report at its General Convention 2006, Barlowe's nomination illustrates clearly that those in the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) committed to the revisionist agenda with regard to sexuality are willing to sacrifice membership in the Anglican Communion.

We are shocked that just one week after the close of General Convention and one day following release of the Archbishop of Canterbury's statement on the Communion's future, the Diocese of Newark has sent a clear and defiant message nationally and internationally that there will be no turning back.

General Convention's inadequate nod to the Windsor Report, Resolution B033, is tepid and unenforceable legislation calling for "restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."

Immediately following approval in the House of Bishops and House of Deputies, a group of revisionist bishops indicated they would not in fact exercise restraint.

It should come as no surprise that an ECUSA diocese would then defy clear teaching of Scripture and Anglican doctrine regarding marriage and sexuality in choosing a non-celibate homosexual as one of their nominations for bishop.

END