{"id":15101,"date":"2026-06-02T08:55:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T12:55:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/?p=15101"},"modified":"2026-06-02T08:55:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T12:55:38","slug":"episcopal-church-installs-first-openly-lesbian-bishop-in-the-south","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/2026\/06\/episcopal-church-installs-first-openly-lesbian-bishop-in-the-south.html","title":{"rendered":"Episcopal Church Installs First Openly Lesbian Bishop in the South"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina \/ YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A North Carolina church has installed the first openly lesbian Bishop in the South. Sarah Fisher was installed as the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina. She is in a same-sex union with another woman, Reverend Mandy Brady. Gay bishops are not a new thing for the Episcopal Church. Rev. Gene Robinson became the first openly gay bishop in the denomination in 2003. A spokesperson informed The Christian Post<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>\u201cBishop Fisher is\u00a0the first openly lesbian Episcopal Church bishop for a diocese based in the South.\u201d Fisher was elected to the position by the third ballot, with 36 votes from the clergy and 70 votes among laity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m rarely at a loss for words, so take this moment as the one time that I\u2019 m at a loss for words. I was in awe that they elected me and delighted because I am already head over heels in love with this diocese,\u201d she told The Living Church<\/em><\/a>. <\/em>\u201cThere is so much heart and soul in this place. Their spiritual depth is wonderful and deep and evident in the people and in the churches, and so evident in the ministries that I see them doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a list of essay questions<\/a> Fisher submitted, she described her life of \u201cawkwardness in adolescence\u201d as she dealt with her parents\u2019 divorce and falling away from God. She described her return to the church as a struggle she hoped to help others in. \u201cThe church welcomed me home, to the community, to God, to the truest version of myself,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI hope that in everything I do and say as a priest, yes, but also as friend, neighbor and even stranger, I make the same journey accessible to others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her essay questions also focused on unity. \u201cI serve a very purple congregation. We are not unanimous in politics, or in how much noise children should make in church, or what brand of coffee to serve,\u201d she added. \u201cWe are united in our desire to see, know and serve the Risen Christ. Getting proximate to those who differ from us is vital to seeing the inherent dignity and divinity that dwells in every person. It is easy to hate an idea or a stereotype or a strongly held belief. It is harder to hate the neighbor you know, when you can recognize the light of Christ within them.\u201d Prior to her election, Fisher served as rector of St. Catherine\u2019s Church in Marietta, Georgia.<\/p>\n

Fisher\u2019s nomination earned some strong reactions online. One account noted how, despite Fisher\u2019s focus on unity, the Episcopal Church\u2019s decision to allow openly gay priests to serve caused a split within the denomination. \u201c[Fisher\u2019s] election reflects the continuing theological direction of The Episcopal Church, which has faced decades of division over sexuality and church doctrine. The controversy traces back to 2003, when Gene Robinson became the denomination\u2019s first openly gay bishop, sparking a major conservative exodus from the church,\u201d noted the account<\/a>. \u201cWhen a church ordains practicing homosexuals as bishops, it stops being Christian and becomes apostate,\u201d warned conservative pastor Reverend Jordan Wells<\/a>. \u201cPray for those deceived. Stand with orthodox Anglicanism. The Bible hasn\u2019t changed \u2014 the Episcopal Church has.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A North Carolina church has installed the first openly lesbian Bishop in the South. Sarah Fisher was installed as the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina. She is in a same-sex union with another woman, Reverend Mandy Brady. Gay bishops are not a new thing for the Episcopal Church. Rev. Gene Robinson…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":15104,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nEpiscopal Church Installs First Openly Lesbian Bishop in the South<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"North Carolina church installs South\u2019s first openly lesbian Episcopal bishop, Sarah Fisher, as East Carolina diocese welcomes new leader.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/2026\/06\/episcopal-church-installs-first-openly-lesbian-bishop-in-the-south.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Episcopal Church Installs First Openly Lesbian Bishop in the South\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"North Carolina church installs South\u2019s first openly lesbian Episcopal bishop, Sarah Fisher, as East Carolina diocese welcomes new leader.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/2026\/06\/episcopal-church-installs-first-openly-lesbian-bishop-in-the-south.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Christ News Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-02T12:55:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/409\/2026\/06\/Episcopal-Bishop_credit-Episcopal-Diocese-of-East-Carolina-YouTube.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta 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