Understanding the Windsor Report: Two Leaders in the American Church Speak Across the Divide

2003 was a tempestuous year in the Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church USA gave its canonical consent to the election of an openly gay priest, the Rev. V. Gene Robinson. In the Anglican Church of Canada, a Diocese authorized a liturgical rite for the blessing of same-sex unions. Responding to the outcry from many parts of the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury appointed a special commission to analyze the events and make recommendations for preserving unity amid disagreement. The commission's findings, published as The Windsor Report in October 2004 have generated as much controversy as the events that prompted them. But what does the report actually mean to the Episcopal Church?

A comprehensive summary by Jan Nunley of the report and its aftermath puts those questions into context, while a conversational commentary organized around important themes by Douglas and Zahl, two very different voices, reflects on its recommendations and implications for the future of the church.