General Convention has been a roller coaster this year. First came the election of a Presiding Bishop who is a woman. Then the House of Deputies rejected a moratorium on gay bishops. And the next day the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies accepted such a moratorium. I imagine that most LBGT the Episcopalians are little stunned right now. Nothing has come in my e-mail yet from integrity which really surprises me. They have been very quick to respond to or give news of actions of the Church that affect LBGT people.
I am saddened by this decision but I am as determined as ever to stay with the Episcopal Church. Andrew Sullivan said this Thursday night on Larry King Live, "And I will not as a Catholic be thrown out of my home and my church and my faith and my communion because of who I am. Because of how God made me and that's the bottom line, Father, and I understand there is diversity and I respect that. And I understand your faith. But we're not leaving and we exist and we're here and we're human. "
This is a man who doesn't have seat, voice and vote in his church, yet he stays. He stays because he knows this is where God calls him to be and he cannot do otherwise. Episcopalian LBGT’s have seat, voice and vote of General convention, diocesan convention, and on their vestries. I hope that every Episcopal gay man and lesbian stays in the church and everyone of our straight supporters stays in the church and continues to spread the good news of God's inclusive love in Christ Jesus. We are called to proclaim the Gospel in season and out, in fair weather and foul. To do otherwise is a denial of the love God has for us and for all creatures.
6 comments:
This issue of the anglican communion splitting is yet another excellent proof in real life of why the church needs to be One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Without any final authority over issues of faith and morals and how to interpret the Bible, history will repeat itself again and again as the churches have been doing since 1517. It's Deja Vu all Over again
Here, pissed off, and committed. You can read my (thoroughly surly) post on the matter if you want to.
just dropping by to say hi... nice blog you have here. ciao!
Well, Sis, you know where I stand on the issue. I stand firmly with the written Word of God, which at one and the same time tells us the Good News that the Holy and Almighty God loves each and every one of us sinners, no matter in what ways we have sinned - AND that this Holy and Almighty God who created humans male and female for a specific purpose (that ONE man and ONE woman be committed to one another for life in a marital, sexual, relationship), rejects any perversion of the one man-one woman sexual relationship. From Genesis to Revelation the message is undeniable, that homosexuality is NOT God's will, that He did NOT make anyone that way, that those who practice perverted sexuality are under the shadow of divine judgment! Did Jesus the Living Word not say anything about this? Well of course not! Homosexuality wasn't an issue among Palestinian Jews (the examples of Sodom and the Benjamite tribe had pretty well cured the Jews of such sin just as the Exile cured them of idolatry), as it was among the Greeks and Romans further west. Nevertheless, Jesus' words against the easy divorce practices of his neighbor Jews (which WAS an issue) clearly can be applied to ANY sexual relationship other than one man-one woman life commitment.
I know it discourages you that the denomination you belong to has taken this same stand. I'm sorry about that, but I must applaud the Anglicans for standing firm on an issue on which the Bible is firm.
Also, does it not occur to American Episcopalians that there may be an excellent reason that all other national Anglican branches are so opposed to accepting homosexuality? Especially the "young" churches in the Third World (e.g. Africa). Or have we Americans gone amok with hubris, and think that because our national slice of Christendom is older therefore we are "better" or "wiser" or whatever? Has the evil of "manifest destiny" arisen again, and in a pernicious spiritual form?
Just some tho'ts, for which I invite reply.
Tu hermano en San Antonio,
Glen Alan
Who is trying to kick Andrew Sullivan out of the Church? Who is telling him that he does not exist? Who is telling him he is not human? Perhaps there is more drama there than necessary: the Church welcomes all who want to respond with praise and worship to Christ whose perfect sacrifice won salvation for all.
Great post, Debbie. Hang in there and try not to be discouraged if you can. Everytime I get pissed off thinking about B033 I try to remember how far we've come. And we've only come this far because of US, folks like you, me, Jeff, Kirsten, the other folks who posted above. Folks like Rev. Susan Russell and Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton. And Louie Crew and our beloved Bishop Robinson. We stayed! And we've come a long way and as we stay and fight for social and spiritual justice, we will prevail.
God Bless you. You have a fan in Florida.
Gordon
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