Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/eight-virginia-parishes-vote-to-break-from-episcopal-church Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Eight Episcopal parishes in Virginia voted over the weekend to break with the Episcopal Church, over a number of issues, including homosexuality. Kevin Eckstrom, editor of Religion News Service, discusses what this might mean for other dioceses and denominations. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. GWEN IFILL: Following services this weekend, eight parishes in Virginia announced they will break away from the Episcopal Church over a number of issues, including homosexuality.Afterward, the Reverend John Yates, director of the historic Falls Church in Virginia, discussed his parish's decision. REV. JOHN YATES, The Falls Church: It's a clear, decisive majority. I must say that, as I was looking out as the people this morning and giving the announcement, my eyes focused on an older lady for whom this is a very painful thing, a lady I've known for almost 30 years.It's not an easy decision for any of us. It is not something that was envisioned on-the-go. It's something that we feel we have gradually realized we have had to do. GWEN IFILL: Now, for a look at these divisions and what they might mean for the umbrella worldwide Anglican community and for other denominations, I'm joined by Kevin Eckstrom, editor of Religion News Service.Welcome. KEVIN ECKSTROM, Religion News Service: Thanks for having me. GWEN IFILL: How long has this been brewing? KEVIN ECKSTROM: The most immediate crisis has been brewing probably for the last four or five years, most recently since 2003, when the church allowed an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire.But if you look back further, these tensions have really had their roots in the last 30 years, when the church decided to ordain women as priests. And that's when you really saw the sort of the conservative-liberal fissure erupt, and this is sort of the latest incarnation of that. But, I mean, this is a new problem with old roots. GWEN IFILL: We talked about these eight parishes in Virginia, but this isn't just happening in Virginia. This is happening in other places around the country, as well? KEVIN ECKSTROM: Absolutely. It's going on in Texas, in California. In California, you have the Diocese of San Joaquin, which is in Fresno, which has taken steps to be the first diocese to leave the church. And that's talking 10,000 people.But, yes, it's going on across the country, you know, left, right, middle, all over the place.