
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 14, 1990                   TAG: 9006150466
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

EPISCOPALS RETAIN CONSERVATIVE POLICY

At a recent triennial General Council of the Reformed Episcopal Church held in Jenkintown, Pa., delegates reaffirmed the denomination's conservative Protestant position on several moral issues.

The Rev. Rodney Longmire, pastor of Covenant Reformed Episcopal Church in the Cave Spring area, attended the policy-making convention. The denomination was formed in 1874 because of what its leaders saw as too much influence of the Roman Catholic church on American Episcopalians.

On abortion, the convention "vigorously affirms the Biblical teaching of the sanctity of human life and deplores the practice of permitting abortions with the possible exception of cases where it has been clearly established that the mother's life is in danger."

Members also were urged to support federal, state and local laws "which will uphold scriptural standards of righteousness."

Delegates also approved with no audible dissent, according to Longmire, a statement approving sexual intercourse only within marriage and calling "fornication, adultery and homosexual acts sinful in all circumstances."

Members are told to show "Christlike compassion to those who have fallen into sexual sin."

Longmire said delegates also disapproved of making any change either in the worship book last revised in 1932 and in its policy of not ordaining women as priests or bishops.

by CNB