Fish and Cut Bait Time

My Grandmother grew up in a Quaker family in Indiana. Later, she married into an Episcopal Family and took to the life of Emmanuel Church, Hastings, Michigan like a duck to water. In those days, the church was, in reality, TWO different and “gender based” churches, a bicameral legislature as it were. One branch, headed by men, was the elected board, the Vestry. A second branch, the Episcopal Church Women Board, bore another voice. Granny presided on the ECW board. During that era, it took a vote of each board effectively to get anything done in that congregation. Granny’s Quaker roots came out in all their glory in moments of awkwardness and conflict. When confronted with another of the church women on an issue that might possibly become heated, Granny would comment, “My, what a lovely hat you are wearing!” She effectively changed the subject.

The Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops today meets in New Orleans. As they meet, gender alienation surfaces in its latest iteration. On their agenda is a conversation about the future of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons in the Leadership of the Episcopal Church. Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams has weighed in on the topic of Gays in the Church. “My what a lovely hat you are wearing,” he might have said. Concerned voices heard his response loud and clear and react with alarm. Does the Archbishop thinking that to “change the subject” might effectively stop the inclusive trends in the Episcopal Church. Is the tactic going to work?

My friend and fellow laborer in the vineyard, Larry, wrote a reflection about the impact of the Archbishop’s words on him. He shared his thoughts with his diocesan family. I will simply include some of what he said below.

I have been following some of the happenings
via the church web site and with the wonders
of modern technology have been able to watch
and listen to some of what the Archbishop has
had to say. As a gay man, I found some of his
comments to be insulting in this day and age.
In particular when trying to explain the
difference between prejudice and the more
conservative church's stance on the participation
of gays and lesbians,Archbishop William's response
was (and I am paraphrasing...) "One has to
consider the churches theology in conjunction
with the choice of lifestyle that some have taken."
(from the Q&A press conference coverage 9/21)

This is a highly offensive. . . understanding
of what it is to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgendered. How, still in 2007, a bishop in
his position can continue to understand human
sexuality only as a lifestyle choice is mind
boggling. I cannot decide if I should fault him
for his ignorance or fault him for his pandering to
the conservative members of the communion.

GLBT persons simply ARE, just as left handed
people simply ARE, just as hazel eyed people simply
ARE. How individuals queer or straight choose
to celebrate their god given sexuality - with
whom and how often - that may be a lifestyle choice,
as is where we choose to live, how we choose
to earn a living, where we choose to worship
... those things are lifestyle choices. The
deliberate discrimination of a group of individuals
based simply on the gender of their life partner is
simply wrong.

I'm very tired of the fancy Anglican version of
"love the sinner, hate the sin." I rejoice in this
diocese's celebration of human diversity, and I
rejoice at those in the Greater Episcopal church who
welcome and celebrate human diversity. It is time
to let the worldwide communion know that they need
to get the heck out of our bedrooms and get back to
working on what truly matters like the Millennium
Development Goals (as our present Presiding Bishop
Kathryn is encouraging us to do.)

Listening in on the GLBT community, the issues shift into a crystal clear picture. These voices vibrate with the words of the Prophets and the teachings of Jesus. In them, scripture comes alive. (For heavens sake, the 10th Chapter of the Book of Acts is being acted out before our very eyes!) The choice to exclude the GLBT community from full participationin the church, is no choice at all. I would urge the Primates of the Anglican Communion along with the whole community of the Baptized across the globe, to give ear to their Gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters. If we can but listen, we will hear a transforming and saving message for the whole communion.
Listen carefully. Stretch your heart to “hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.” This is no idle prodding, but an urgent call. Our inability to hear opens onto a false and desolate path. We dare not turn away from our GLBT companions.

We're way past the time to calm ourselves with commentary on one another’s haberdashery!