Green Light on Gay Clergy

[Daniel]

Episcopal clergy voted yesterday to lift the moratorium on gay clergy. I think this calls for a glass of sherry! Post service of course.

http://www.towleroad.com/2009/07/episcopal-bishops-vote-to-end-moratorium-on-gay-clergy.html


The resolution passed on Monday was written in a way that would allow dioceses to consider gay candidates to the episcopacy, but does not mandate that all dioceses do so. A similar measure was passed on Sunday by the church’s other legislative body, the House of Deputies, which is made up of lay people and clergy. On Tuesday, the bishops’ version will likely go back to the House of Deputies for reconsideration."

[Pablo Rafael]

I have been following the Episcopal general convention through emails from Integrity, the gay advocacy organization of the Episcopal church. (Integrity gives out a lot of good information. And it isn't just about the Episcopal church. You can sign up to get email new articles at http://integrityusa.org.)

The Episcopal church has had gay priests for some time. Now it seems that the moratorium on gay bishops will be removed. The barriers to transgender Episcopalians also will be removed. Another good outcome is that Episcopal priests will be able to marry same-sex couples in states where it is legal.

I know I am counting chickens before they hatch, but all indications point to a removal of all restrictions against LGBT individuals. "All the sacraments for all the baptized" is the goal of Integrity and the pro-gay movement in the church.

Thumbs up to the Episcopal church for taking the lead. Also thinking that the Lutheran church(ELCA) won't be far behind.

[BruceChris]

It is said that her strong suit has always been to work quietly, somewhat behind the scenes, to promote reconciliation between supposedly irreconcilable factions.

She has been their Presiding Bishop for about 2 1/2 years now.

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/presiding-bishop.htm

If you get the chance, read some of her speeches, farther down the page. This lady really lays it on the line.

She once was a marine biologist, she flies her own plane, and she was previously Bishop of Nevada.

The right wing Anglicans, especially the African bishops have been up in arms every since Gene Robinson was elevated to bishophood. Most of them are violently opposed to the ordination of women, something that did not happen in the US until 1975, and didn't even happen in Britain until 1994. As the Anglican church has always had a decentralized power structure, there hasn't been much that the Archbishop of Canterbury can do to bring the conflicting sides together, even if he wanted to.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE56E0IO20090715

I have heard it said that he hasn't tried hard enough, or that he lacks backbone, but the Anglican communion is said to be facing schism. Some American churches are even attempting to affiliate with African Dioceses, with a resultant court fight over just who owns the original church property.

They have made an end run around that, too. There is now a seperate body, the Anglican Church in North America, to affiliate with.

I'll just have to continue to follow my sources, as best I can. Any thing to add, Pablo, u-dog?

Peace and Love, Bruce Chris

[BruceChris]

By a wide margin. So maybe no *fine hand* was required.
But I still think the Presiding Bishop is pretty awesome.

Namaste', Bruce Chris

[BenL]

By a wide margin. So maybe no *fine hand* was required.
But I still think the Presiding Bishop is pretty awesome.

Namaste', Bruce Chris

Agreed, Bruce, about the presiding bishop.

Concerning the "fine hand," people I know at the General Convention have told me that the absence of a vocal conservative opposition has been almost creepy for them. Past conventions have been extremely contentious, compared to this first convention after the most extreme bishops and parishes have withdrawn to affiliate with other dioceses in Africa or Latin America.

My friends at Convention tell me that resolutions have slid through committee hearings on many fronts. The House of Deputies and the House of Bishops have passed measures with much less rancor and much less debate than at previous conventions.

The reaction of the Presiding Bishops (or Primates) of other Anglican provinces in the world may be swift and troublesome. I don't think it is possible to avoid some sort of split, as much as His Grace, the Archibishop of Canterbury, will try to prevent it. He ultimately has only the power of persuasion and has no juridical power outside his own diocese and the Church of England.

I see General Convention's and the Episcopal Church's role in the larger Anglican Communion to be prophetic in the sense of "speaking truth to power." That's never a popular role to those who are comfortable with the status quo. Inclusivity means everyone, including gays and including conservative voices if they care to stick around and work it out with progressives/liberals. Apparently, in the United States, they are "voting with their feet" by deciding to leave the rest of us behind. It is sad in a way.

[Daniel]

Wanna get married in the Episcopal Church? You may be able to do that soon.

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/07/15/13223

[Gennee]

I emailed a friend about the results. My congrats to the Episcopalian Church. I will continue to follow this.

Gennee
:agree::applause:

[Daniel]

The young and 'inclusivity'.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/us/19episcopals.html?hpw

[Matt Algren]

Just had to share this. I found it on the blog of Rev. Susan Russell (http://inchatatime.blogspot.com/2009/07/random-gc2009-bits-pieces.html).

The woman who stopped me in the worship hall to thank Integrity for our work and then to share that she had attended the Integrity Eucharist with her 14 year old son — and that afterwards in their hotel room he had come out to her.

"I've known he was gay since he was about 4," she said, her eyes welling up. "And have been waiting for him to figure it out. The fact that he came to himself in the context of a celebration of the Eucharist — that he's never going to have to wonder if his church or his family will love and accept him as he is — I just can't thank you enough."

"He's a really great kid," she said, wiping her eyes. "And he's going to be FABULOUS gay man!"
Imagine a world where that's what coming out is like for everybody. There's no better reason to keep fighting than this.

[Daniel]

Just had to share this. I found it on the blog of Rev. Susan Russell (http://inchatatime.blogspot.com/2009/07/random-gc2009-bits-pieces.html).

The woman who stopped me in the worship hall to thank Integrity for our work and then to share that she had attended the Integrity Eucharist with her 14 year old son — and that afterwards in their hotel room he had come out to her.

"I've known he was gay since he was about 4," she said, her eyes welling up. "And have been waiting for him to figure it out. The fact that he came to himself in the context of a celebration of the Eucharist — that he's never going to have to wonder if his church or his family will love and accept him as he is — I just can't thank you enough."

"He's a really great kid," she said, wiping her eyes. "And he's going to be FABULOUS gay man!"
Imagine a world where that's what coming out is like for everybody. There's no better reason to keep fighting than this.


Reading this brought tears to my eyes. This is how it should be. How it can be. And how it will be- for so many young gay men and women. This fills me with joy. And makes the struggle worth it.

[Poetic Awakening]

I agree. That is amazing. There is still some goodness left in this world after all.