The Episcopal Church of the Sudan has requested the permanent removal of the Rev. Lauren Stanley, an appointed missionary from the Diocese of Virginia, whose comments in favor of legislation moving forward with same-sex blessings during the annual council meeting earlier this year "were deemed offensive."

The May 13 issue of Virginia E-Communiqué, a weekly newsletter published by the Diocese of Virginia, included a statement from the bishop's office that the Rt. Rev. Peter Lee, Bishop of Virginia, had ordered Ms. Stanley to return to Virginia after receiving a request for her removal from the Most Rev. Daniel Deng Bul, Archbishop of Sudan. Ms. Stanley has been a lecturer at the Renk Theological College, where she taught theology, liturgy, and English and served as a chaplain.

The news was first reported by Mary Ailes, who maintains a blog about Anglican issues.