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62-513: The Global Anglican Future Conference was held near Jerusalem in June 2008 at the initiative of theologically conservative African, Asian, Australian, South American, North American and European Anglican leaders who opposed the ordination of homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions by member churches of the Anglican Communion. The meeting came as the culmination of a series of controversies in

124-617: A message of support read at the conferences. Video greetings were also sent by Archbishop Foley Beach of the Anglican Church in North America , and Bishop Richard Condie of the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania and chairman of GAFCON Australia. Rev. Jay Behan became the chair of GAFCON New Zealand. The creation of GAFCON New Zealand was a result of the passing of Motion 30 by the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia and

186-690: A period of consultation and internal consideration. She will take up her position in Denver. Conservative Protestants differentiate between homosexual inclination and homosexual activity / behaviour. These denominations also interpret the Bible as condemning homosexual activity / behaviour . Conflicts over that issue became public in United Methodist Church and in the Southern Baptist Convention . The ordination of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals

248-762: A predominantly LGBT church, has ordained LGBT candidates for ministry since its founding in 1968. In 1972, the United Church of Christ became the first mainline Protestant denomination in the United States to ordain an openly gay clergy person. Other churches that allow LGBT clergy are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , the Presbyterian Church (USA) , the Episcopal Church in the United States ,

310-446: A statement which regretted that this move would not heal the divisions in the church, and effectively sets in motion a two-tier system of Anglicanism in which those within the covenant can speak as Anglicans, and LGBT clergy and those who support them fall outside the covenant , and so cannot speak on behalf of other Anglicans. A coalition of thirteen LGBT Christian groups in the UK formulated

372-596: A theological basis. In July 2013, the General Assembly of The Disciples of Christ passed a "Sense of the Assembly" resolution (GA-1327 "Becoming a People of Grace and Welcome to All") to allow ordination clergy "regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity", although no individual congregation will be forced to ordain LGBT clergy if they object to doing so. The Moravian Church in North America and Europe allows for

434-455: A transgender priest. In the United States, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) allows the ordination of openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual clergy. In 2012, Katie Ricks became the first open lesbian to be ordained in the church. The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the second-largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, adheres to what they perceive as the biblical stance on homosexuality, affirming that "the act of homosexuality

496-577: A united response to the Archbishop's statement, questioning whether the 'listening process' he had called for had been properly engaged with, that LGBT people are committed members of the communion, and criticising a 'two-track' system within Anglicanism. In August 2009, it was announced that two gay Episcopal priests were among the six nominated candidates for the role of suffragan bishop of Los Angeles ; both were in committed relationships. The appointment

558-432: Is a debated practice within some contemporary Christian denominations . While most Christian denominations ban the ordination of sexually active LGBT clergy because they view homosexuality as incompatible with biblical doctrine and do not allow those identifying as transgender to be ordained for the same reason, a growing number of churches are allowing openly LGBT clergy to serve. The Metropolitan Community Church ,

620-541: Is a sin according to God's Word." Therefore, a practicing homosexual continuing in this sin would not be a fit candidate for ordination or membership in the Presbyterian Church in America. The Reformed Church in America is another reformed denomination in the US with gay clergy serving congregations. "Some RCA churches have gay pastors, but their ordination is from other denominations." The Church of Scotland discussed

682-506: Is not a new thing, but their ordination as openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual people has caused controversy among some churchgoers: a 2006 survey suggested that two-thirds of weekly Protestant church-goers in the United States of America believe that it is inappropriate for gays and lesbians to serve as bishops or pastors; with the number opposed rising to 80% amongst evangelical Christians (bisexuality and transgenderism were not mentioned in

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744-770: Is the first denomination with an official stance allowing non-celibate gays, lesbians, and bisexuals to be ordained; it is also one of the fastest growing denominations in the United States and the United Kingdom . Smaller denominations, like the Liberal Catholic Church , the Swedenborgian Church of North America , the Ecclesia Gnostica , and the Apostolic Johannite Church also do so. The United Church of Christ began ordaining LGBT clergy in

806-745: The African Methodist Episcopal Church , in full communion with the UMC, currently prohibits its ministers from officiating at same-sex weddings, but it does not have an official policy on gay pastors and, so, some openly gay AME clergy have been ordained. Yet, in 2016, the New York Annual Conference ordained the United Methodist Church's first openly gay and lesbian clergy. In July 2016, the Western Jurisdiction of

868-648: The Anglican Church of Canada elected as suffragan bishop open gay Kevin Robertson in diocese Toronto. Today, as aforementioned, LGBT priests may be ordained by bishops within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia , Anglican Church of Australia , Anglican Church of Canada , Anglican Church of Southern Africa , Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil , Church in Wales , Church of England , Church of Ireland , Church of South India , The Episcopal Church , and

930-510: The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is among the denominations in which gay priests can be "legally ordained." Before 2003, the Rev Rowan Smith came out as gay and was supported by his congregation. The South African church also consecrated an openly gay bishop, Bishop Mervyn Castle. A bishop in the Church of South India , also a part of the Anglican Communion, stated that he would ordain

992-751: The Bishop of New Hampshire Gene Robinson in the U.S. Episcopal Church . In the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) and the Episcopal Church or ECUSA allow the ordination of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender clergy. In 2012 the Episcopal Church of the United States approved a change to their nondiscrimination canons to include gender identity and expression. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America decided in August 2009 to accept gay, lesbian, and bisexual clergy in sexually active monogamous relationships. In 2014 Megan Rohrer became

1054-927: The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) , the Church of Scotland , the Church of England , the Church in Wales , the Church of Sweden , the Church of Norway , the Church of Denmark , the Church of Iceland , the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland , the Evangelical Church in Germany , the Methodist Church in Britain , the Protestant Church in the Netherlands , the United Protestant Church in Belgium ,

1116-606: The Church of Norway , the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Church of Iceland permit the ordination of openly LGBT clergy. In 1993 was lutheran Norway bishop Rosemarie Köhn ordained. She was married with Susanne Sønderbo. In Germany , the Lutheran , United and Reformed churches as part of the Evangelical Church ordain openly LGBT Christian clergy. In 2008, the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church announced that Horst Gorski , who

1178-585: The Diocese of Gippsland in Australia appointed an openly partnered gay priest. In Scandinavia , the Church of Sweden permits openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual clergy to act as ministers, often in senior positions. In May 2009 the Diocese of Stockholm elected Eva Brunne as its Bishop-Elect. Brunne lives in a same-sex marriage with another woman, and they have a son. Likewise, the Danish National Church ,

1240-1173: The Scottish Episcopal Church . Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa Look for Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa on one of Misplaced Pages's sister projects : [REDACTED] Wiktionary (dictionary) [REDACTED] Wikibooks (textbooks) [REDACTED] Wikiquote (quotations) [REDACTED] Wikisource (library) [REDACTED] Wikiversity (learning resources) [REDACTED] Commons (media) [REDACTED] Wikivoyage (travel guide) [REDACTED] Wikinews (news source) [REDACTED] Wikidata (linked database) [REDACTED] Wikispecies (species directory) Misplaced Pages does not have an article with this exact name. Please search for Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa in Misplaced Pages to check for alternative titles or spellings. You need to log in or create an account and be autoconfirmed to create new articles. Alternatively, you can use

1302-694: The Swiss Reformed Church , the United Protestant Church of France , the United Church of Canada , the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada , Anglican Church in Canada , the Old Catholic Church , the Czechoslovak Hussite Church and the United Church of Christ in Japan . The issue of ordination has caused particular controversy in the worldwide Anglican communion, following the election of

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1364-712: The Traditional Anglican Communion . In 2023, REACH-SA was recognized as an "authentic Anglican province" by the Gafcon Primates' Council, and its presiding bishop, Glenn Lyons, was seated on the council. GAFCON in New Zealand was launched in April 2016 in two conferences that took place in Auckland and Christchurch reuniting nearly 500 members from the entire country. Chairman Archbishop Eliud Wabukala from Kenya sent

1426-584: The Windsor Report , recommended that the consecration of people in same-sex relationships as bishops cease, although it conspicuously avoided discussing gays, lesbians, and bisexuals ordained as priests and deacons. In response, the Episcopal Church placed a moratorium on confirming the consecrations of all bishops. Bishop J. Neil Alexander of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta said that he voted for

1488-416: The article wizard to submit a draft for review, or request a new article . Search for " Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa " in existing articles. Look for pages within Misplaced Pages that link to this title . Other reasons this message may be displayed: If a page was recently created here, it may not be visible yet because of a delay in updating the database; wait a few minutes or try

1550-744: The 1970s. The Rev. William R. Johnson was ordained in 1972 and the Rev. Anne Holmes in 1981. The UCC's executive council endorsed ordination of gay and lesbian candidates in 1973 and was the first mainline denomination in the United States to endorse marriage equality (2005). A number of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender ministers now serve throughout the church. In 2009, the British Quakers confirmed support for same-sex marriage. The United Christian Church decided to ordain openly LGBT Christian clergy at First Annual Conference in Seattle, WA in 2010. In

1612-669: The African provinces of the Anglican Communion . The ordination of women to holy orders , the offices of deacon, priest (presbyter), and bishop, remains controversial in GAFCON. In 2006, the Church of Nigeria planned to ordain women to the diaconate, but not as priests or bishops. In 2010, the church moved forward with those plans and began to ordain women as deacons, with limitations "for specific purposes like hospital work and school services". The Church of Nigeria continues to prohibit

1674-636: The Americas was founded in 2000 by the Anglican Communion's Rwandan and Southeast Asia provinces to serve North American Anglicans formerly affiliated with the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada; it claims more than 100 parishes in the United States. A church-planting partner with the Anglican Mission is the Anglican Church in North America , founded in 2010. It claims over 600 parishes serving 100,000 members, most of whom are former members of

1736-657: The Anglican Communion that began in 2003 when the openly non-celibate gay bishop Gene Robinson was consecrated by the Episcopal Church USA . GAFCON was organised as a conservative alternative to the 2008 Lambeth Conference , which was boycotted by many traditionalists except most notably, Bishop Anis. Mouneer Anis the Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East (a conservative himself on matters of human sexuality), however publicly announced he would not be one of

1798-460: The Bishop of Grantham, was the first to announce that he is in a same-sex partnership. The Church in Wales has allowed priests to enter into civil partnerships since 2005. The Scottish Episcopal Church has ordained LGBT priests since before 2002. The Church of Ireland has no formal policy on civil partnerships and the first priest entered into a same-sex civil partnership in 2011. In South Africa,

1860-458: The Bishops in the United Methodist Church, a denomination long divided on questions of LGBTQ equality, have proposed allowing individual pastors and regional church bodies to decide whether to ordain LGBT clergy and perform same-sex weddings. As a result of this, and of other affirming policies on the part of select Jurisdictions and Conferences, some regions of UMC in the United States have allowed for

1922-553: The Church of Uganda confirmed that a woman may be ordained a bishop in the Church of Uganda. In 2023, the Diocese of the Southern Cross welcomed its first female priest. Ordination of homosexuals The ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender ( LGBT ) clergy who are open about their sexuality or gender identity ; are sexually active if lesbian, gay, or bisexual; or are in committed same-sex relationships

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1984-441: The Church's official opposition to same-sex marriage (such as Andrew Foreshew-Cain and Jeremy Pemberton ) found themselves blacklisted from employment. In 2014, Richard Inwood refused Pemberton permission to officiate (PTO) in the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham due to his marriage, and thus he was refused a job as an NHS chaplain in the diocese. The Court of Appeal upheld this refusal in 2018. In September 2016,

2046-521: The Episcopal Church opposed to the ordination of LGBT clergy. The Anglican Church in North America includes four dioceses which withdrew from the Episcopal Church and subsequently joined with the 13,000 member Reformed Episcopal Church and several smaller bodies. In addition, the even more conservative Continuing Anglican movement is composed of various churches which were formed in the late twentieth century by former Episcopalians opposed to what they believed were liberal and unscriptural developments within

2108-792: The GAFCON movement. The Anglican Diocese of Sydney , Australia, played an important role in forming the FCA and its Archbishop Peter Jensen was the FCA's first secretary. On 6 July 2009, GAFCON was launched within the British Isles and by 2016 rebranded itself as GAFCON GB & Europe. Through this branch, the Anglican Network in Europe was created, and the Reformed Episcopal Church and Free Church of England have been members of GAFCON GB & Europe since 2008. In 2015, Rod Thomas (a member of

2170-488: The General Assembly of the Kirk approved a proposal to allow gay, lesbian, and bisexual ministers. Parishes will be able to 'opt out' of this new policy. In 2016, the General Assembly voted to allow ministers to enter into same-sex marriages. The United Methodist Church has also been discussing the issue for many years; its official position until May 2018 denied ordination to " Self-Avowed Practicing Homosexuals ". On 7 May 2018

2232-547: The Ohio Commission on Ministry (the body that grants ordination) has decided that sexual orientation is not a criterion for ordination. At the 2012 Regional Assemblies, a number of Disciples regions (including Kentucky and Indiana) joined Ohio in eliminating sexual orientation as a restriction for ordination. Other regions are in the process of investigating the matter, mostly on a polity (since congregations determine ethical fitness for candidates and hire their ministers) and not

2294-614: The Philippines, the Ekklesia Tou Theou (Church of God) believes and ordains LGBT Christian Clergy through its denominational jurisdiction the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit . The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has a decentralized church structure as well. Regional bodies ordain individuals and as such have different rules regarding ordination. Northern California is the only region labeled as Open and Inclusive; however,

2356-510: The Rev Carol Stone should not continue in ministry in the Church of England.' This made her the first transgender Church of England priest. In 2005 Sarah Jones became the first openly transgender person ordained by the Church of England as a priest. In July 2009, clergy and laity in the United States voted to reject the three-year moratorium on the consecration of gay clergy as bishops. The Archbishop of Canterbury responded to this in

2418-404: The United Methodist Church consecrated the denomination's first openly gay and married bishop, Karen Oliveto . The United Church of Christ in the Philippines , a denomination that resulted from the merger of several Protestant denominations, has an "openness to ordain openly gay and lesbian church workers." The Methodist Church of Great Britain "resolved that its previous ruling that there

2480-428: The episcopate. In 2016, prior to the moratorium, the Episcopal Church of Sudan consecrated the first woman, Elizabeth Awut Ngor , as bishop and the first among the GAFCON members. In 2021, the Anglican Church of Kenya consecrated two women as bishops, Emily Onyango was consecrated as an assisting bishop and Rose Okeno was consecrated as the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Butere . In 2022, Archbishop Kaziimba of

2542-546: The executive of AMiE ) was consecrated the provincial episcopal visitor for conservative evangelical members of the Church of England. On 3 September 2009, GAFCON's South African branch was established by the initiative of Bishop Bethlehem Nopece , of the Anglican Diocese of Port Elizabeth . It incorporates Anglicans from three denominations: the Anglican Church of Southern Africa , the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-SA) and

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2604-627: The first mainline Christian denomination in the world to have an openly gay person at its helm. The United Church of Christ , because of its decentralized model that arose from the Congregational churches of New England, allows such ordinations by default since there are no official denomination-wide stances on doctrine . In December 2013 the Mennonite church in the USA announced that it would be appointing Theda Good as its first openly lesbian pastor following

2666-457: The first openly transgender leader of an ELCA congregation (specifically, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco.) Megan Rohrer was elected as the bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the ELCA on May 8, 2021, in a livestreamed, online assembly. In July 2011 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada decided to accept gay, lesbian, and bisexual clergy in sexually active monogamous relationships. In 2013, openly gay minister Guy Erwin

2728-411: The formation of "A Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans." GAFCON was instrumental in the formation of the Anglican Church in North America in 2009. The ACNA was formed as an alternative church structure for those disaffected by the official Anglican structures in the United States and Canada. The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America , which covers much of South America, is a key constituent of

2790-407: The goals of the GAFCON conferences into a movement, to "preach the biblical gospel [...] all over the world" and "provide aid to [...] faithful Anglicans" disaffected from their original churches. The fellowship recognizes the Jerusalem Declaration, written at the 2008 GAFCON meeting, as a "contemporary rule." The fellowship is administered by a "Primates' Council" originally consisting of Primates from

2852-530: The issue at its 2009 General Assembly. This was in response to the induction of openly gay minister Rev. Scott Rennie , to serve at Queen's Cross Church, Aberdeen . The outcome was agreement that the induction, which had triggered the debate, should go ahead, but that no further such cases should be permitted until a commission on the subject has reported in 2011. In 2011, the Church of Scotland voted at its 2011 General Assembly to allow open gay, lesbian, and bisexual ministers who live in civil unions. On 20 May 2013,

2914-408: The ordination and/or appointment of LGBTQ clergy to pastoral ministry. In 2008, the United Methodist Church Judicial Council ruled that openly transgender pastor Drew Phoenix could keep his position. At the UMC General Conference the same year, several petitions that would have forbidden transgender clergy and added anti-transgender language to the Book of Discipline were rejected. Additionally,

2976-422: The ordination of Gene Robinson as a bishop because Robinson was open about his sexuality and honest about his caring relationship. In 2000, a Church of England priest, Rev Carol Stone, transitioned from male to female and was allowed to continue her ministry as a female priest. She was supported by her bishop, The Right Reverend Barry Rogerson , who stated 'There are no ethical or ecclesiastical legal reasons why

3038-435: The ordination of LGBT+ people. In 2013, Shannon Kearns became the first openly transgender person ordained by the North American Old Catholic Church , not to be confused with the Catholic Church . He was ordained in Minneapolis. The North American Old Catholic Church disbanded later that year. Also, in Switzerland the Reformed churches in Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches ordain openly LGBT Christian clergy and

3100-414: The ordination of non-celibate gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. In 2011, the Church in Wales began giving pensions for the same-sex partners of gay clergy. The Church of England's General Synod approved the change in 2010. In 2013, the Church of England allowed gay clergy who live in civil partnerships to become bishops as long as they remain celibate. However, clergy who married the same gender despite

3162-427: The ordination of women as priests or bishops. The Church of Uganda has ordained women as deacons since 1973 and as priests since 1983. The Anglican Church in North America allows each diocese to decide whether to ordain women as deacons or priests but does not permit the ordination of women as bishops. In 2018, the primatial bishops of the GAFCON member churches agreed to a moratorium on further ordinations of women to

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3224-399: The parent body. Although the place of homosexual persons in the life of the church was not one of the causes of these churches' separation from the Anglican Communion, all of them are strongly opposed to both the ordination of gay clergy and to church-approved matrimonial rites for LGBT persons. An interfaith movement known as the Confessing Movement has also been a vehicle for opposition to

3286-477: The same situation is in Austria in reformed church and Lutheran churches. The Protestant Church in the Netherlands also ordains openly LGBT Christian clergy. The United Church of Canada and the Uniting Church in Australia already welcome gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in permanent partnerships into the ordained ministry. In addition, on 16 August 2012, the United Church of Canada elected its first openly gay moderator, Gary Paterson , and, in doing so, became

3348-504: The subsequent document "A Way Forward", proposing the blessing of same-sex marriages, presented at their General Synod in May 2014. The Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand was established in 2019 with Behan as the inaugural bishop. GAFCON helped to form the Diocese of the Southern Cross in 2022, a breakaway from the Anglican Church of Australia as a result of disagreements over same-sex marriage and other issues. The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans aims to extend

3410-510: The survey). In the past, ordinands who were gay, lesbian, or bisexual did not admit their sexuality, and were ordained. For many years, moderate and liberal western Anglican provinces operated on a basis of "don't ask, don't tell". In the American Episcopal Church , a resolution was adopted in 2009 by the General Convention , the church's governing body, declaring that gays, lesbians, and bisexuals who had been baptized were eligible for "any ordained ministry", including becoming bishops . In

3472-420: The traditionalists attending GAFCON 2008; his observation was that "the Global South must not be driven by an exclusively Northern agenda or Northern personalities." The GAFCON Final Statement produced at the first conference recognises the Archbishop of Canterbury for his historic role in the Anglican Church but denies that his recognition is the cornerstone of Anglican identity. The statement also called for

3534-423: The wider Anglican Communion , which includes more conservative congregations in developing countries, the ordination of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals is highly controversial. Ellen Barrett was the first openly homosexual person ordained by the Episcopal Church in 1977. Philip Lance was the first open male homosexual ordained by the Episcopal Church in 1988. In 1999, openly gay Anglican bishop Peter Wheatley

3596-741: Was no reason per se to prevent anyone within the Church, ordained or lay, from entering into or remaining within a civil partnership, should also extend to those entering into legally contracted same-sex marriages." The Methodist Church of Southern Africa "did not have a rule prohibiting its members or ministers from marrying someone of the same sex, the Western Cape High Court heard on Tuesday." Another court ruled that "The Methodist Church 'tolerates homosexuals' and even accepts same-sex relationships (as long as such relationships are not solemnised by marriage)." The Methodist Church of New Zealand has ordained openly gay and lesbian pastors since 2004. The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches

3658-410: Was openly gay, had been nominated as a Lutheran bishop, but he did not make election. In the United Kingdom, the Church of England has permitted transgender priests to serve since 2000. The Church of England has also allowed gay and lesbian priests in civil partnerships since 2005. In 2013, the church allowed bishops to enter into same-sex civil partnerships. In 2016, Bishop Nicholas Chamberlain ,

3720-435: Was ordained as Bishop of Edmonton in London. The Archbishop of Canterbury , spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, formed the Eames Commission due to controversy associated with the consecration of Gene Robinson to the order of bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire and the planned consecration of Jeffrey John (who was to be ordained Bishop of Reading ) in the Church of England . Its findings, published as

3782-409: Was ordained as a bishop in California. In 2016, the Anglican Church of Canada elected its first openly gay bishop. The Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil supports the ordination of LGBT clergy. In New Zealand, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia ordained an openly gay deacon in 2006. The Anglican Church of Australia has no official position on homosexuality. In 2012,

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3844-488: Was voted on in December 2009 and, in March 2010, it was announced that Mary Douglas Glasspool had been elected; becoming only the second openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. In December 2009, the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota also announced a lesbian had been nominated as a bishop, but did not make election. Formed in opposition to the Episcopal Church's policies concerning gays, lesbians, and bisexuals are several other Anglican church bodies. The Anglican Mission in

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