"I hope you enjoy hearing the sound of another glass ceiling being shattered," John Vanderstar of the Diocese of Washington told the House of Deputies.

Jefferts-Schori's election is a victory for radical feminists in the Episcopal Church as well as the rapidly growing homosexual movement among Episcopalians.

Moments after Jefferts Schori's election was announced to the House of Deputies, Virtue Online spoke with the Rev. Susan Russell, president of Integrity, the leading homosexual advocacy group in the Episcopal Church. "I'm thrilled," said Russell. "I can't think of a better Father's Day present to the Communion than a woman primate. And the fact that it happens on the thirtieth anniversary of the ordination of women is a sign that God's favor is with us."

Jefferts Schori is the first female primate of a province of the global Anglican Communion in that faith's 400 plus years.

However, Jefferts Schori's election will not seem like a "Father's Day Gift" to most provinces of the worldwide Anglican Communion. In fact, the stability of the U.S.-based Episcopal Church as a member of the Anglican Communion is increasingly uncertain, particularly due to the Episcopal Church's insistence on support for homosexuality. Jefferts Schori's election will likely be another bad signal to other members of the Communion who do not recognize women as eligible successors to the New Testament Apostles.

Even more damaging, Jefferts Schori has been an extremely active supporter of the homosexual movement within the Episcopal Church.

Bishop Jefferts Schori voted in favor of Bishop Robinson's consecration, and she vocally supports same-sex unions.

Said the Rev. Russell of Integrity, "She's been a longtime supporter of Integrity Nevada, she participated in the Integrity Eucharist on Friday, and I look forward to working with her as we work toward full inclusion of all people in the body of Christ."

Indeed, Jefferts Schori attended a homosexual-themed Eucharist just two days prior to election as Presiding Bishop. The gay Eucharist was sponsored by Integrity and attended by well over 1,000 homosexual and pro-homosexual bishops, clergy, and laymen of the Episcopal Church. Bishop Robinson was the main speaker, and the liturgy included this prayer:

"We give thanks for all the blessings of this life, [silence] especially for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons you have called to witness openly to the fullness of their creation in your image. We give thanks for those who have found grace to live together in loving and faithful partnership, awaiting in hope the day when their unions will be recognized on earth as they are before you. May we each become ever more thankful for the gifts you have given us."

Among her gifts, the Presiding Bishop-elect is a highly educated marine biologist who specialized in the evolution of the squid. She was trained in theology at an ultra-liberal seminary in Berkeley, California.

Jefferts Schori's Diocese of Nevada is one of the smallest in the entire Episcopal Church. Though the population is growing quickly in her region, the small group of churches that she oversees have remained stagnant. "How can someone who can't grow a Diocese grow a church," asked Canon Kendall Harmon of the Diocese of South Carolina shortly after Jefferts Schori was elected.

Jefferts Schori told members of the press on Sunday, "One of the great actions of this General Convention has been to name 'Justice and Peace' as the first priority of this church." "Justice and Peace" includes promotion of the eight Millennial Development Goals of the United Nations, yet its prioritization makes evangelism a low priority for the already shrinking mainline church.

Since the mid-1960s, the Episcopal Church has lost about 35,000 members per year, even while it has made priority efforts to be inclusive of sexual minorities, racial minorities, and women. At the same time the denomination has become more socially and theologically liberal, its numbers and national impact have declined.

When Virtue Online asked the Presiding Bishop-elect in a press conference whether there was a connection between the Episcopal Church's preoccupation with radical progressivism and its decline, she gave no direct answer. Instead she commented on her positive view of the Jewish contribution in history.

The question had been, "This week the convention passed a resolution condemning the Bible as an anti-Jewish document. This is just one example of what appears to be a preoccupation with radical progressivism. At the same time, Gallup has recently reported that Episcopalians are the least likely Christians in America to attend church regularly. Question: Is there a link between progressivism and the decline of the Episcopal Church?"

The answer may be offered with finality under The Most Reverend Katherine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church.

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