Great segment with some powerful witnesses from fabulous youth deputies ... and a little "walk down memory lane" -- back to those halcyon days of yesteryear when the new "social networking" communication tool was ... the Fax Machine!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The New York Times "Gets It"
So often after a "big vote" at a General Convention, I've woken up the next morning to read a secular news report and wondered how the reporter could have been in the same room we were and so utterly failed to understand what it was we ended up doing.
Not so with today's NYTimes and Laurie Goodstein's piece on yesterday's vote on blessings in the House of Bishops:
Episcopal Bishops Give Ground on Gay Marriage
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The bishops of the Episcopal Church agreed Wednesday to a compromise measure that stops short of developing an official rite for same-sex unions, but gives latitude to bishops who wish to go ahead and bless such unions, particularly in states that have legalized such marriages.
Over two days of debate, some bishops said they felt compelled to act because of their pastoral responsibility to gay couples who were increasingly coming forward to ask the church to bless their unions. Many also said they saw it as a simple matter of granting equal rights to gay men and lesbians.
The measure was written to defer to bishops who oppose adopting a liturgy for same-sex blessings and to those who say their constituents are not ready for such a step. But it opens the door to doing so in the future, saying they will “collect and develop theological and liturgical resources” for same-sex blessings, and report to the next convention three years from now, which could then design an official rite.
Even with the nuance, the vote was a momentous step for a church that has been mired in intrafactional warfare over homosexuality for more than a decade. Advocates for gay rights in the church celebrated it as a victory, noting that the vote count was a resounding 104 in favor and 30 opposed, with 2 abstentions.
“It’s a big step forward,” said Bishop Thomas C. Ely of Vermont. “The House of Bishops worked hard to get to the place where we could have such a large majority voting to move forward on the development” of a rite for same-sex blessings.
The Episcopal Church is not the only religious denomination to take such a step. The Unitarian Universalist Association, the United Church of Christ, and the Reform and Reconstructionist movements in Judaism allow ceremonies to sanctify such unions.
The vote came one day after the church voted to open the door to ordaining more openly gay bishops. Both measures are likely to bring even more pressure from conservatives in the global Anglican Communion to cut ties with the Episcopal Church, its American branch.
The measure will now go to the church’s House of Deputies, which represents the clergy and lay people, who are consistently more liberal on legislation than the bishops and are therefore expected to approve it at the convention this week.
Some bishops had already been permitting their priests to perform same-sex blessings in recent years, without the larger church’s formal approval, using homemade liturgies and rituals.
The measure says that bishops in states “where same-sex marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church,” meaning that they now have official permission to perform same-sex blessings. The word “may” was included to make it clear that no bishop is required to permit same-sex blessings.
The Rev. Raisin Horn, the priest of Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City, said that since Iowa legalized same-sex marriage, she has not had any requests for ceremonies, but that she expected that some couples would come forward now that the church had sanctioned it.
“If a same-sex couple comes to me and they want a marriage rite, they would go through the same premarital counseling, and have to show the same quality of relationship that I would want to see in any couple,” Ms. Horn said. “I will not have to say to them, all the right things are in place except for your sexuality.”
Episcopal conservatives, who met for a worship service and strategy session at a nearby hotel conference room at lunchtime, said they felt increasingly demoralized.
The Rev. Steve Wood, pastor of St. Andrews Church in Mount Pleasant, S.C., said: “The conservatives are treated more as zoological oddities. We’re patted on the head, nice-nice, and then we get steamrolled.”
Many conservatives predicted Wednesday that the decisions in Anaheim would surely lead to permanent schism in the Anglican Communion. They made reference to an opinion article written in The Times of London by Bishop Nicholas T. Wright of Durham, England, a highly influential Anglican scholar, who wrote that the Episcopal Church was conscious that what it had just done amounted to “formalizing the schism they initiated six years ago” when they consecrated a gay bishop in a same-sex relationship.
But many Episcopalians at the convention here believe they will have support and will not be ostracized. They are drawing on the testimony of Anglican guests from Africa, Asia and Latin America, who they have brought to the convention here as proof that they have international allies.
Not so with today's NYTimes and Laurie Goodstein's piece on yesterday's vote on blessings in the House of Bishops:
Episcopal Bishops Give Ground on Gay Marriage
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The bishops of the Episcopal Church agreed Wednesday to a compromise measure that stops short of developing an official rite for same-sex unions, but gives latitude to bishops who wish to go ahead and bless such unions, particularly in states that have legalized such marriages.
Over two days of debate, some bishops said they felt compelled to act because of their pastoral responsibility to gay couples who were increasingly coming forward to ask the church to bless their unions. Many also said they saw it as a simple matter of granting equal rights to gay men and lesbians.
The measure was written to defer to bishops who oppose adopting a liturgy for same-sex blessings and to those who say their constituents are not ready for such a step. But it opens the door to doing so in the future, saying they will “collect and develop theological and liturgical resources” for same-sex blessings, and report to the next convention three years from now, which could then design an official rite.
Even with the nuance, the vote was a momentous step for a church that has been mired in intrafactional warfare over homosexuality for more than a decade. Advocates for gay rights in the church celebrated it as a victory, noting that the vote count was a resounding 104 in favor and 30 opposed, with 2 abstentions.
“It’s a big step forward,” said Bishop Thomas C. Ely of Vermont. “The House of Bishops worked hard to get to the place where we could have such a large majority voting to move forward on the development” of a rite for same-sex blessings.
The Episcopal Church is not the only religious denomination to take such a step. The Unitarian Universalist Association, the United Church of Christ, and the Reform and Reconstructionist movements in Judaism allow ceremonies to sanctify such unions.
The vote came one day after the church voted to open the door to ordaining more openly gay bishops. Both measures are likely to bring even more pressure from conservatives in the global Anglican Communion to cut ties with the Episcopal Church, its American branch.
The measure will now go to the church’s House of Deputies, which represents the clergy and lay people, who are consistently more liberal on legislation than the bishops and are therefore expected to approve it at the convention this week.
Some bishops had already been permitting their priests to perform same-sex blessings in recent years, without the larger church’s formal approval, using homemade liturgies and rituals.
The measure says that bishops in states “where same-sex marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church,” meaning that they now have official permission to perform same-sex blessings. The word “may” was included to make it clear that no bishop is required to permit same-sex blessings.
The Rev. Raisin Horn, the priest of Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City, said that since Iowa legalized same-sex marriage, she has not had any requests for ceremonies, but that she expected that some couples would come forward now that the church had sanctioned it.
“If a same-sex couple comes to me and they want a marriage rite, they would go through the same premarital counseling, and have to show the same quality of relationship that I would want to see in any couple,” Ms. Horn said. “I will not have to say to them, all the right things are in place except for your sexuality.”
Episcopal conservatives, who met for a worship service and strategy session at a nearby hotel conference room at lunchtime, said they felt increasingly demoralized.
The Rev. Steve Wood, pastor of St. Andrews Church in Mount Pleasant, S.C., said: “The conservatives are treated more as zoological oddities. We’re patted on the head, nice-nice, and then we get steamrolled.”
Many conservatives predicted Wednesday that the decisions in Anaheim would surely lead to permanent schism in the Anglican Communion. They made reference to an opinion article written in The Times of London by Bishop Nicholas T. Wright of Durham, England, a highly influential Anglican scholar, who wrote that the Episcopal Church was conscious that what it had just done amounted to “formalizing the schism they initiated six years ago” when they consecrated a gay bishop in a same-sex relationship.
But many Episcopalians at the convention here believe they will have support and will not be ostracized. They are drawing on the testimony of Anglican guests from Africa, Asia and Latin America, who they have brought to the convention here as proof that they have international allies.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Three Cheers for the Bishops!
Yes, I'm talking about the bishops -- our bishops -- the bishops of the Episcopal Church. You remember them.The ones EVERYBODY "knew" were coming to Anaheim not to do anything. The ones who were going to stonewall anything having to do with moving forward on full inclusion.
The ones who had their spines removed at their consecrations and were never going to stand up to the Archbishop of Canterbury and his "preference" that we stop being a bother to the rest of the communion by insisting that our baptismal covenant actually means something and by listening to that unfortunate gospel that tells us the truth will set us free.
Those bishops.
The ones who two days ago -- against all predictions -- voted 99-45 (with 2 abstentions) to move beyond BO33 and clear the way for partnered gay or lesbian candidates for bishop.
Today they were back ... and THIS time the vote was 104-30 (with the same 2 abstentions) on CO56: -- a resolution to "acknowledge changing circumstances" that call forth a renewed pastoral response from the church for considering same-gender blessings.
It is NOT "the whole enchilada" -- and there's lots of work still to do before we reach that "full inclusion" place we're headed for.
And ... we're moving forward.
In spite of the dire predictions of some. In the face of the direct opposition of others. We ARE moving forward. .
My "thought for the day" on this 8th Day of General Convention was one that came to me via email this morning and I sent it out to a whole whack of people before I left for the convention center:
"Successful politics is often the art of the possible
rather than the achievement of perfection."
Our bishops didn't achieve perfection today. But they sure as heck expanded the "art of the possible" for LGBT couples AND for the church.
Tomorrow it goes to Deputies. But for now ... three cheers for the bishops!
Wednesday in the House of Deputies
I'm in the House of Deputies where they are wending their way through a long agenda that includes elections to various boards, councils and committees; debating pension equity for lay employees; and getting ready for a joint meeting with the House of Bishops on "The Budget."
So I've been websurfing and thought I'd post some links to pieces in the press about the work we're doing here in Anaheim:
Associated Press: Gay clergy eligible for all ordained ministry
LA Times: Episcopal leaders vote to lift ban on gay bishops
NPR: What will follow Episcopalian vote for gay clergy?
CNN: Episcopal Church moves to accept more gays and lesbians.
Guardian (UK): Episcopals vote for inclusion
BBC: U.S. Church drops gay bishops ban
USA Today: Clash over gay bishops, blessings ripple across the Atlantic
Airtalk with Larry Mantle: Episcopal Church approves of gay bishops
(Note: I notice with some amusement that the photo illustrating the USA TODAY article is of my rector -- Ed Bacon -- and does not appear to be directly related to the topic at hand by anything other than the fact that he's an Episcopal priest and looks cute in his alb and stole.)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
General Convention Says "Amen" to Inclusion
ANAHEIM, CA (July 14, 2009)--The House of Deputies reiterated its overwhelming support for the full inclusion of all the baptized in all orders of ministry by concurring with resolution DO25 as amended by the House of Bishops.
"Today's action put the 'Amen' at the end of one of the prayers we have prayed for an inclusive church--ending the BO33 'season' by stating unequivocally that the LGBT baptized can and will have equal access to ordination processes in the Episcopal Church," said the Reverend Susan Russell, president of Integrity USA.
"Our Lord told us that 'the truth will set us free'--and what this General Convention has done is to tell the truth that will set the Episcopal Church free for mission and ministry."
"We rejoice in this powerful witness to the Gospel and to God's inclusive love, and we urge the House of Bishops to continue in the spirit of truth and unity as they work on resolution C056 so that the General Convention will send us out from Anaheim with the same kind of clarity about the blessing of same-sex relationships."
"Today's action put the 'Amen' at the end of one of the prayers we have prayed for an inclusive church--ending the BO33 'season' by stating unequivocally that the LGBT baptized can and will have equal access to ordination processes in the Episcopal Church," said the Reverend Susan Russell, president of Integrity USA.
"Our Lord told us that 'the truth will set us free'--and what this General Convention has done is to tell the truth that will set the Episcopal Church free for mission and ministry."
"We rejoice in this powerful witness to the Gospel and to God's inclusive love, and we urge the House of Bishops to continue in the spirit of truth and unity as they work on resolution C056 so that the General Convention will send us out from Anaheim with the same kind of clarity about the blessing of same-sex relationships."
=====
In other news, the House of Bishops began debate on CO56 -- a resolution intended to address the issue of same-sex blessings with the same kind of clarity that DO25 addressed ordinations. The debate was suspended and postponed to a "time certain" on Wednesday afternoon to allow the bishops time for further reflection and conversation. (At least that's how I heard it.)
In other news, the House of Bishops began debate on CO56 -- a resolution intended to address the issue of same-sex blessings with the same kind of clarity that DO25 addressed ordinations. The debate was suspended and postponed to a "time certain" on Wednesday afternoon to allow the bishops time for further reflection and conversation. (At least that's how I heard it.)
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