"What is right will happen in time," said Ronald McCreery, a lay member of the Diocese of Arizona.

The Living Church spoke at random to a number of persons who were asked to consider the Lambeth Conference's "Sexuality Resolution," which states that homosexual behavior is "incompatible with scripture."

Those who responded indicate that the "broadness" of the Episcopal Church is as true as it ever has been. Key words heard during the telephone conversations included: inappropriate, disobey, narrowness, inclusive/inclusion, dignity, prayer, accept, love, compassion, open, impatience, extremes, discuss, study, resolve, moderate, comparisons, point-of-view, justification ...

"As I read about the backing for the resolution by Third World bishops, I thought that it could be that the First World church is being shown the way by the Third World churches," said Mr. McCreery, junior warden at St. Stephen's Church, Sierra Vista, Ariz. "For all our sophistication, perhaps they have a clearer picture than we have with our equivocations." Citing the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. George Carey, who commented that the issue needs a great deal more study, Mr. McCreery hopes the Episcopal Church heeds the archbishop's advice. "I hope the Episcopal Church would resolve and perhaps moderate its seeming skid to push too many unacceptable resolutions.

"The actions of the last General Convention requiring bishops and dioceses not to preclude women from the ordination process ... was an act of impatience." Mr. McCreery, who said he is fully in support of ordination of women, added, "What is right will happen in time. It is less than kind to strong-arm those who cannot accept it yet."

"The Episcopal Church should not change its course," said the Rt. Rev. Walter Righter, retired Bishop of Iowa. "The Episcopal Church should continue to be inclusive and to treat with dignity every human being - which Lambeth did not do." Bishop Righter said people from Dallas, with an agenda, manipulated the resolution at Lambeth by "buying" the vote both before and during the conference. "It was the first time I've seen that and I hope it's the last time I see it," he said.

"Straight to the altar," said the Very Rev. Robert Gianniani, dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, who spoke out against an "anything goes" mentality in the Episcopal Church. "My reading of the gospels puts me down on my knees to await the Holy Spirit," he said.

"It seems to me," said the Rt. Rev. Jane Holmes Dixon, Suffragan Bishop of Washington, D.C., "that the Episcopal Church continues to move ahead on the path it is on, the path of inclusion of all people in the life of the church. The Episcopal church speaks out in this country."

The Rt. Rev. Keith Ackerman, Bishop of Quincy, said "the Episcopal Church needs to listen very carefully and to look at all people with great love and compassion." At the next General Convention, he said, "We need to take very seriously into account what Lambeth has said. What would be inappropriate is to disobey the prevailing standards of the Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church officially."

Harry Denman, a member of the national Executive Council from the Diocese of Kansas, said, "I would have been happier with the original resolution. I can accept it as it was passed, but it makes it more difficult for someone like me (a conservative traditionalist) who wants to be open to dialogue. The narrowness of it makes it more difficult for that to happen."

"It doesn't affect the Episcopal Church," said the Michael Rehill, chancellor of the Diocese of Newark. "It is interesting to hear different opinions in the greater Christian community, but clearly the vote doesn't reflect the Episcopal Church in the United States, in Canada or in other parts of the world."

"I think we continue on our course to uphold the sanctity of marriage," said the Rt. Rev. Frank Gray, Bishop of Northern Indiana. "I believe we and Lambeth are heading in the right direction. It would not be appropriate to change the canons or rules of human sexuality."

"We need to continue to discuss it," said Ann Wafer, of Christ Church, Cody, Wyo. "I believe Lambeth will make a big difference in the U.S. after people have been able to digest it."

The Rev. Brian Grieves, of the Church's Office for Peace and Justice, said he has not received any direct, domestic feedback regarding the resolution. He said his office could become involved next May when the Anglican International Peace and Justice Network meets. That network, comprised of representatives from 22 to 25 provinces of the Anglican Communion, did work on the Kuala Lumpur statement.