"African plants foot in Episcopal battle" ...

... is the headline of an article in today's Houston Chronicle"

Hint: The African plants they're talking about are NOT African violets!

You can read the whole article here ... here are some snippets:

Minns' installation defied the wishes of both Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, leader of the U.S. Episcopal Church.

"I think we were not surprised by the action in Virginia last week. It's been building for a long time," said the Rev. Susan Russell, president of Integrity, a gay-rights lobbying group. "This is an important moment for the communion to recognize that there are forces within it, particularly those led by Archbisop Akinola, who are really determined to split the communion if they can't re-create it in their own image," she said ....

For some years, [Martyn] Minns has been active in the conservative American Anglican Council. "My sense is the Episcopal Church believes that everyone should be welcome, but no one is expected to change. That's very important to me. ... We don't need to redefine God for our culture; God is beyond culture."

Russell, a senior associate minister at All Saints Church in Pasadena, Calif., accused the conservatives of a "narrow and fundamentalist approach" to Scripture and theology.
"The pernicious piece for me is that rather than be seen as brothers and sisters in Christ who read Scripture and interpret it differently, they say that we have turned our backs on Scripture and are just focusing on social-justice issues," she said.

Dean Joe Reynolds of downtown's Christ Church Cathedral was saddened by Minns' installation.""With all the mission and ministry that needs to be done, it's a shame to spend time on those kinds of things," he said. "We are going about our work here on Texas and Fannin." Though some predict an eventual split, the Rev. David Puckett, rector of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in the Memorial area, doesn't see it happening.

"I don't think that this event will prohibit Anglicans from continuing to commit themselves to seeking ways to remain unified as a communion," Puckett said. "I think the vast majority of Anglicans wish to do that," he said. "I mean Anglicans worldwide and Episcopalians."

At a parish meeting last fall, Puckett and an associate minister presented both the conservative and liberal interpretations of the main issues of human sexuality. We openly discussed all the issues, and toward the end of the day one of our oldest longtime members, a gentleman in his 70s, got up and said: 'I believe we are called to all live in the same tent.'

"It was great wisdom and really verified my faith in this wonderful parish," Puckett said.