I was Episcopalian and the schism happened in the National Church because of the ordination of a gay bishop who was the spiritual leader & at the helm of the entire Epis. church in America. For many years, North Florida Episcopalians (as well as other followers) dealt with various false gospels and difficult issues by expressing their opinions in letters, petitions and voting at National Conventions. For many years, the conservatives held the majority opinion, opposing interpretation of the Bible that strayed from the long-standing belief of the Bible as God's Word for all times. Of course, the liberal faction members were very vocal, and numerous priests and a couple of bishops in some dio...

I was Episcopalian and the schism happened in the National Church because of the ordination of a gay bishop who was the spiritual leader & at the helm of the entire Epis. church in America. For many years, North Florida Episcopalians (as well as other followers) dealt with various false gospels and difficult issues by expressing their opinions in letters, petitions and voting at National Conventions. For many years, the conservatives held the majority opinion, opposing interpretation of the Bible that strayed from the long-standing belief of the Bible as God's Word for all times. Of course, the liberal faction members were very vocal, and numerous priests and a couple of bishops in some dioceses (think districts) were openly homosexual, but none in Florida that I know of. When THE National Church voted to accept the ordination of openly gay (not celibate) priests, it was a last straw. Still, the liturgically minded trueblood Episcopalians wanted to stay connected, and not lose all their traditions, therefore appealed to the Anglican Church in Africa and was accepted (adopted) by that community. [I'm 90% confident in the accuracy of my account--it's been a few years since my husband and I left altogether for a nondenom. fellowship.