Religion: Episcopalians at the Barricades

For most of its history, the U.S. Episcopal Church seemed willing to let other denominations set the pace in social action. Now, the Episcopal Church is a pacesetter—and in turmoil as a result. The division was nowhere more evident than during the past two weeks in Houston, where the laity and clergy of the Episcopal Church met for their triennial General Convention.

Core of the crisis was a special program approved at the 1967 Seattle convention—an openhanded, openminded plan to channel substantial cash to minority groups and projects, with the exception of those that...