While the U.S. Episcopal Church decided this week to lift the moratorium on the ordination of gay bishops in “partnered relationships,” it’s far from certain that any such ordinations will ever take place, Rhode Island Episcopal Bishop Geralyn Wolf said Friday.

Reached by phone in Anaheim, Calif., where the American arm of the Anglican Communion was winding up its triennial General Convention, the bishop acknowledged that she was in the minority when the House of Bishops voted 99 to 45 with two abstentions Tuesday to adopt a revised resolution affirming the church’s openness to gays and lesbians serving in any ordained ministry. The resolution also was approved, in a separate vote, by the House of Deputies.

During the debate, Bishop Wolf presented the arguments of those who believe that lifting the moratorium on ordaining more gay bishops will undermine the efforts to hold the 70-million-member Anglican Communion together.

The proposal, she argued, did not reflect the voices of the “wider Anglican community” and would be open to a “variety of interpretations” that would not be “helpful” to the Anglican Communion.

On Friday, Bishop Wolf said she remains committed to Anglican unity.

The bishops’ vote lifted a moratorium imposed by church leaders three years ago to try to calm the ire of conservative prelates around the world who felt the church’s ordination of an openly gay man, V. Eugene Robinson, to become the bishop of New Hampshire was a departure from principles of Christianity.

When the issue came before the House of Deputies, all four of Rhode Island’s clergy deputies and all four lay deputies voted to repeal the moratorium, putting them in opposition to Bishop Wolf.

The Rev. Scott Gunn, rector of Christ Church in Lincoln, said he voted for the resolution because “I believe we should not put limits on who the Holy Spirit might call to the office of bishop. If the Holy Spirit calls a person who is gay or lesbian we should respect that call.”

The Rev. William Locke, rector of St. Paul’s in Pawtucket, said he didn’t think the fear of the resolution’s leading to a worldwide schism was warranted, saying deputies heard from others around the world who supported the resolution.

On another key issue, bishops and deputies approved a resolution this week that authorizes the denomination to “gather” materials and resources that could be used to develop an as-yet-unapproved liturgy for the blessing of same-sex couples. The measure gives the green light to bishops in states where gay marriage and gay unions are already legal to offer a “generous pastoral response” to those who want their relationships blessed.

On that issue, Bishop Wolf said Friday that the resolution will not directly affect her own policy of forbidding same-sex blessing ceremonies from taking place on church property anywhere in the diocese.

However, Father Gunn, who voted to support a change, said “my personal belief is that since we as clergy already bless animals and boats and backpacks, we should be able to bless people in church who claim to love one another.”

rdujardi@projo.com