ORLANDO - The leader of the Episcopal Church's Central Florida diocese has asked the church's national head to resign because of the consecration of the church's first openly gay bishop.
Bishop John Howe of Orlando also resigned from two national panels in the Episcopal Church USA.
In his letter to Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, Howe said all bishops who participated in and supported the consecration of the Rev. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire should resign their positions.
The letter was written at the beginning of the month and posted on the diocese's Web site on Monday.
"Sadly, I believe that resignation call should include you," Howe wrote to Griswold.
Barbara Braver, a spokeswoman for Griswold's office in New York, was out of the office and didn't return a phone call on Wednesday.
Other members of the Diocese of Central Florida, a region that includes Citrus County, said Howe's letter let his opposition to Robinson's consecration be known while still staying in the church.
"The bishop has made a clear statement of repudiation of the national church, without leaving it," said Hal Williams of New Smyrna Beach, a member of St. Peter the Fisherman Church. Diana Butler Bass, an Episcopal historian and researcher, called the letter "oddly inappropriate."
"It would take some grievous misconduct for a presiding bishop to step down," she said. "The Archbishop of Canterbury and the leaders of the Anglican Communion have given no indication that they would like to see that happen. There is worldwide respect for Frank Griswold as a Christian."
Howe's letter comes at a time when other dioceses appear to be moving toward confrontation with the national leadership of the Episcopal Church over Robinson's consecration.
