Lambeth Calling*

 *This is not one of my sermons but reflects my response to all-things Anglican. Read on...

One of my favorite hymns in The Hymnal 1982 begins:

Christ is made the sure foundation,

Christ the head and cornerstone,

chosen of the Lord and precious,

binding all the Church in one;

holy Zion’s help forever,

and her confidence alone.

Upon this stanza of Hymn #518, I would hope, I would think, I would pray that all of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus could agree. I would especially think that the bishops gathered from across the Anglican Communion could accept these lyrics and live into this understanding. 

How we get there is not as important as the fact that we do get there and see this as the essential truth from which we can live and move and have our being.

If only this were the only work of the bishops at Lambeth to make Christ and our commitments to walk in the way of Jesus, and love as Jesus taught us to love each other. Maybe we could all get along.

But that is not what is happening. And while I am saddened, I am not surprised.

The last time there was a Lambeth Conference it was 2008. Then Archbishop Rowan Williams invited all the bishops to England… except for one: Bishop Gene Robinson of my home diocese of NH. He was too outwardly and unashamedly gay for this gathering. Bishop Gene went to England and did a bunch of fringe events. But he was not allowed to go to tea with Queen or participate in the Indaba listening sessions because bishops from the Global South would have been uncomfortable with his presence.

So there was listening, and talking, and praying, and sharing about LGBTQ+ Christians, but the one figurehead of LGBTQ+ Christianity was not included in the official conversation.

And while the bishops did their best to keep things controlled, the Holy Spirit continued to blow through the provinces of the Communion, moving and shaking things up. Another attempt to control the Spirit came in the form of the Anglican Covenant, a document that aimed to put into a type of ecclesiastical time-out those Churches which discerned the valuable gifts brought to the Church from the LGBTQ+ community, including supporting our right to be married. The Covenant failed miserably, most notably in the Church of England where it had originated with Archbishop Williams. Shortly thereafter, the Archbishop announced he was going back to what he was better at: being a theological scholar.

In the meantime, over the past decade, The Episcopal Church in this country, the Canadian Anglican Church, Scotland, Wales and a myriad of other Churches in the Anglican Communion had all arrived at a place of seeing that LGBTQ+ people could form loving, covenantal relationships. We could preach the Gospel. We did belong in the church and fighting over such matters was a distraction from the main point: to love and serve God and one another.

By this time, we had already had our nasty, bitter break ups with those who didn’t accept LGBTQ+ Christians and they had already formed their own cathedrals and Towers of Babel under the “Anglican” Church of North America and GAFCON. ACNA had tried to get The Episcopal Church voted off the Anglican Communion island and had failed. The Lambeth Conference stalled; the GAFCONites held their own rival global meeting in Jerusalem. And then COVID hit, and the Lambeth Conference was forced to delay meeting until this year.

That’s a summation of the past fourteen years of what I call the “Anglican Angst.”  With a new Archbishop, Justin Welby, there would maybe be a chance for the bishops to get back to Christ as the sure foundation and reason for the Church to exist. Groups of bishops have been meeting with each other over Zoom. All seemed to be going well.

Then there was the news that while LGBTQ+ bishops would be allowed to attend Lambeth (yay!) their spouses were explicitly excluded (boo!) Again, this was to accommodate the comfort level of those bishops from the Global South who don’t accept marriage equality. A small step for Lambeth; a trip and fall for humankind, but whatever. 

The decision of many of the Episcopal Church bishops was to go and continue to stand for “all the sacraments for all the baptized.”

But then…as so many of them were boarding airplanes to Europe… a 58-page document dropped from the Archbishop of Canterbury titled “Lambeth Calls.” It covers ten subject areas. The bishops were to read it and be prepared to vote either “Yes” or “Yes, but with more study” to the various “calls.” Under the title “Human Dignity” there were statements condemning colonialism and past imperial actions of the church…and…oh, by the way, “the Anglican Communion is of one mind” that marriage is for a man and a woman and that homosexuality is not compatible with Scripture.

Remember: the bishops are only allowed to say, “Yes” or a “Yes, but.” There is no “No” or “Hell NO!” option.

The language of this proposal comes straight out of a 1998 resolution called Lambeth 1.10. Our Episcopal Church, and others, have rejected this stance and, in fact at our recently concluded General Convention in Baltimore, we have moved decidedly in the direction of full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the church. So to suddenly have this dropped on our bishops for a "Yes" or "Yes, but" vote is offensive and wrong.

And the plot thickens: one of the members of the group that helped draft the Human Dignity Lambeth Call is the openly gay and married Bishop Kevin Robertson of Canada. According to a post he put out on Facebook, his study group never discussed Lambeth 1.10 as they crafted that particular call. Imagine the shock and betrayal he must have felt to discover this tucked away on page 31 of a 58-page document.

If the working group of bishops didn’t know it was in there, then who did?

Did someone let Judas into the printing press?

I am a black-shirted priest, not a purple-shirted bishop, serving a small congregation in Southwest Georgia. But unless there is a means for bishops to raise objections and get that language amended out, I would hope our diocesan leaders and Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church would consider their peace returned to them, shake the dust of this dirty deed off their feet, and refuse to participate any further in this conference.

Lambeth may have called. But the province they have reached is no longer interested in debating human sexuality.

Uncorking Anger

God is a woman.

At least, God's wisdom as described in Scripture is a woman.  My own personal feeling about God is that God is beyond our very two-dimensional views of gender.  In that way, I believe God is not only transgender but transcends gender.

The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction,

and concern for instruction is love of her,
and love of her is the keeping of her laws,
and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,
and immortality brings one near to God;
so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.
--Wisdom 6: 17-20

I read this as part of Morning Prayer last week.  I then read the news out of England, the equivalent of wikileaks for the Anglican Communion.  The late Very Rev. Colin Slee's notes on the shenanigans behind the deep-sixing (AGAIN!) of Rev. Jeffrey John to become Bishop of Southwark left a pit in my stomach.  It's apparent that the Archbishops of Canterbury and York intended to thwart the desires of the people in Southwark and that the Archbishop of Canterbury is a screamer.  

"The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction..."

Allow me.  Screaming at people is not a way to treat a fellow member of the body of Christ, or in this case the crown nominating committee.  The Archbishop of Canterbury, who has shown his rear more than once to those of us on this side of the pond, apparently has a bit of temper when it comes to gay men.   He pointedly disinvited the Bishop of New Hampshire, V. Gene Robinson, at the last Lambeth Conference.  His idea of a "listening process" to LGBT people is 30 minutes in a room with a select group of LGBT deputies to the General Convention.  Meanwhile, he has not condemned the Church of Uganda or any of the other African Churches for standing by or actively aiding in the death and discrimination against the LGBT community on that continent.   According to what The Guardian published last Wednesday, Rev. Slee suggests that the otherwise highly-private deliberations of the committee were intentionally being leaked by the Archbishop of Canterbury.  And while setting up his supposed "friend" Jeffery John for another disappointment (and trashing another priest for being married to a divorced woman), he sought a legal opinion as to how far the Church of England could extend its discriminatory practices.

Slee's evidence to the leak enquiry claimed that it was the archbishop of Canterbury himself who was responsible for the leak by asking church lawyers outside the committee for legal advice on whether John could be stopped. Lambeth Palace denies that it was the source of the leak and says there are errors in Slee's account. The archbishop of York's office refused to comment, saying the whole process was entirely confidential.

The House of Bishops sought legal advice to discover whether it would be illegal to deny John a job. A briefing in December from the Church House legal department appears to state that though it would be illegal to discriminate against him because he is a celibate gay person, it was perfectly in order to discriminate against him because there are Christians who cannot accept gay people.

See?  "... there are Christians who cannot accept gay people."   Chief among them: the upper echelon of the Church of England.  

It has long been a source of anger for me that the only acceptable gay person in the clergy is the one who takes the extraordinary step of being celibate.   Celibacy is a special calling in and of itself and to demand it of gay people is cruel.  Jeffrey John is celibate even though he's in a relationship with another man. But Jeffrey John's celibacy wasn't the real issue: the issue was Jeffrey John's sexual orientation.  Period.  ++Rowan forced him to step down from a nomination to be a suffragan bishop of Reading because he is gay and he wasn't going to allow him the Southwark post, either.  Because he is gay.  

And why must we have an Anglican Covenant?  Because we have gay people in the Communion who are making themselves known and are known to God.  Is this presence of gay Christians a new phenomenon?  Hell, no!  Did I not talk about St. Aelred?  There are doubtless many closet cases in the church, forced to live that way because otherwise they may be the subject of a screaming bearded bully.  A bully who is likely looking at the changing landscape and is circling the wagons so he can retain his--haha--power as the titular head of the Anglican Communion.  In this way, he is no different than the evangelical fundementalist bullies in this country who put their anti-gay agenda in state constitutions out of fear that one day, people will view LGBT people as full members of the human race deserving of equal rights under the law. 

Wisdom rescued from troubles those who served her.--Wisdom 10:9

I can only hope that the future of the Episcopal Church will not be too greatly influenced by the actions and desires of Lambeth Palace.  I used to be a lover of the Anglican Communion.  But if the Communion wants to treat gays in such a disrespectful and disgusting way, then again I ask, "Why do we want to be in Communion with a bully?"

A Plea to Uganda

Pressure continues to mount in the effort to stop the Ugandan government from falling into a nasty homophobic pit of rotten legislation. The African government is proposing a law that would lead to the imprisonment, and in some cases death, of LGBT citizens and anyone who sympathizes with them. In this essay published at Other Sheep, the Rev. Michael Kimindu of Kenya articulates the reasons why Christians need to voice opposition to this proposed law, and he is calling on African religious leaders to, in short, repent and return to Jesus Christ. This hateful and hate-filled legislation is totally at odds with the teachings of Jesus. And I appreciated Rev. Kimindu's explanation of sexual orientation:

Sexual orientation refers to how an individual feels as a sexual being. One's sexual orientation may be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transgender or inter-sex. And when we talk about sexuality, it is not just about procreation, family planning, disease, violence and morality. We forget that human sexuality involves pleasure, intimacy, closeness, fun, love and a way to survive the harshest of poor economic circumstances.

And on faith and sexuality, he says:

People from all nations are to be made disciples. And no distinction is to be made on how one is created.

Go read his appeal. It is a well-thought out statement of faith, justice and mercy.

When in Doubt, Look at the Psalms

I direct your attention to Psalm 146, which begins...

Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth,
for there is no help in them.

When they breathe their last, they return to earth,
and in that day their thoughts perish.

This is indeed true. And a very important truth that I return to when I contemplate the state of the Church and the world. Besides the Pope's plan to reinvigorate the Borg-like qualities of Rome ("You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile!"), there is the additional news out of Uganda about a new "final solution". The government, with backing from religious leaders, is proposing a law to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death.

Yes. Punishable by death.

And, as Elizabeth+ Kaeton on her blog "Telling Secrets" notes... there has been deafening silence from the leadership of the Episcopal Church and most notably the Archbishop of Canterbury, the guy who has been the first to serve up the LGBT faithful in hopes of holding together his crumbling Anglican Communion. This is the same ABC who will put out mealy-mouthed pronouncements that violence against the LGBT faithful is "bad"; HOWEVER they really are an icky bunch of people who are causing an awful lot of heartache, aren't they?

So, while some may be wondering and waiting for the leaders in Anglican world to say something about this troubling development in Uganda... I have long since lost any hope for human leaders to "get it". Even in our own country, in this state of Florida, governmental leaders think nothing of throwing LGBT people under the bus. And the Church stands silent, and this silence reads as tacit approval. At stewardship time, the Church is more than happy to take my "queer" money whether I'm celibate or not. But bless and honor my relationship? Never!

And so, where is there hope? Go back to the rest of Psalm 146:

Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!
whose hope is in the Lord their God;

Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;
who keeps his promise for ever;

Who gives justice to those who are oppressed
and food to those who hunger.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.

The Lord shall reign for ever,
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!

Never mistake the machinations of the men and women who claim to be "authority" with the true authority. Never forget that those who were marked as Christ's own forever with our baptism are bound to him through the Eucharist. This is the free grace of God, who is always looking out for those who are "bowed down"... and "sets the prisoners free." This grace, this love, comes through Jesus Christ who is the author of our salvation, not some purple-shirted God-wanna-be.

Your God, O LGBT community, is the Lord who reigns for ever. Sing Hallelujah! And remember that he will always be with you until the end of the age!

OK, So Who's Your Daddy?

I'm not going to go into great lengthy analysis of the latest round of communication from the Archbishop of Canterbury because it reads like more pandering to the mob in Africa. And I don't understand why the ABC can't leave well enough alone the good things that seemed to be happening at Lambeth. Others in the blogosphere who pay attention to all things Anglican may have a different take on the bishops meeting. Certainly, some of them were a lot closer to the ground than I was. But from the bits and pieces I was gathering via the Internet, the indaba discussions seemed to be key and critical for there to be a dialogue about tougher issues for the attendees. Millennium Development Goals, of course, were important. Fighting global poverty, better education, curing HIV/AIDS....those are all causes that any bishop anywhere in the world ought to be able to rally around. Human sexuality isn't comfortable because then we have to think about the fact that some people might be (gasp) having sex.

But, as I said, I am not going to get into this because it occurs to me that to waste time, energy, and space on the ABC and his angst is pointless. And getting all wound up over the machinations of humans does one thing and one thing only: it makes us sink like Peter because we've taken our eyes off of God as we walk out onto the water!

And so, realigning my focus, what I look at is the power (again) in the words of Paul's letter to Romans 12:

For as in one body we have many members, and not all members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.

To me, this is like the ultimate: "We're all in this together, and we all have something to contribute to the make up of the whole". And, another way I took this passage: we must be ourselves, and in being true to who we are, we contribute to the completion of the whole. When I meditate on those two thoughts, what comes to me is the importance of those of us who seek God and a deeper knowledge of God to recognize that there are other seekers of God who share that bond with us...even if they have no other commonalities with us. Each one of us is being invited into a place to bring all of who we are to bear because the whole of who we are may be the very necessary component to complete the wholeness of the community to which we belong.

Simple translation, from my lay lesbian perspective: gay people of faith have gifts...both because we have certain skill sets acquired from learning...but we are people who, many of us, have endured a great deal of pain and rejection and thus bring to the mix a sensibility and sensitivity that the majority may simply not be aware of because they haven't walked in our shoes. In a similar fashion, gay people can gain a lot from their straight brothers and sisters...starting with an appreciation that not all straight people of faith view us as pariahs. And each of us, gay and straight, have the common experience of being human and can be there for one another as part of the human family. That's what I believe it means to "love one another as Christ (God) loved us".

OK, let's say you're still fuming about the ABC and his insatiable appetite for an Anglican Covenant to define "Anglicanism" and risk excluding some members of the body, and his insistence on moratoria.

Last time I checked, the Archbishop of Canterbury was still a mortal. He hath eyes, and he doth bleed when you cut him. And the more we care about his pastoral letters, such as they are, the more power we vest in him as if he had any sway over us to begin with. The power, the focus, the important "thing" here is the love of God. And that is the more important pastoral letter that we should be following in our own lives.

In the words of St. Porky Pig, "Th-th-that's all, folks!"

Will the Real Rowan Williams Please Stand Up?

The Tallahassee Democrat today ran a story that is, in fact, a week old now, on the closing day of the Lambeth Conference, and the comments made by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. The ABC, whose picture in the local newspaper makes him look like a hairy ET, is quoted as saying:

“If the North American churches don’t accept the need for moratoria (on blessing same-gender marriages and LGBT ordinations), we are no further forward. That means, as a communion, we continue to be in grave peril.”

Interestingly, what resurfaced this week are comments made to a reporter with The Times of London by the ABC in 2000:

Gay partnerships pose the same ethical questions as those between a man and woman and the key issue for Christians is that they are faithful and lifelong, he believes.Dr Williams is known to be personally liberal on the issue but the strength of his views, revealed in private correspondence shown to The Times, will astonish his critics.....
In an exchange of letters with an evangelical Christian, written eight years ago when he was Archbishop of Wales, Dr Williams describes his belief that Biblical passages criticising homosexual sex are not aimed at people who are gay by nature.Instead, he argues that scriptural prohibitions are addressed “to heterosexuals looking for sexual variety in their experience”.
He says: “I concluded that an active sexual relationship between two people of the same sex might therefore reflect the love of God in a way comparable to marriage, if and only if it had about it the same character of absolute covenanted faithfulness.”Although written before he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002, Dr Williams describes his view in the letters as his “definitive conclusion” reached after 20 years of study and prayer. He refers to it as his “conviction”.

I understand the Archbishop desiring to take a position that doesn’t lean too far one way or another. But the fact is he apparently does have a position which is not too unlike what some in our own Church have concluded on this side of the pond. Now, he’s trying to back-peddle up a hill.

So, wha’ happened? Is the prospect of an angry Archbishop of Nigeria forming his angry off-shoot of angry people so frightening that we must sacrifice LGBT people, and shake our crook at the North American churches? Is Bishop Gene Robinson’s consecration such a threat that he bans him from the Lambeth Conference, and won’t even meet with him, but the ABC does apparently talk to the Bishops in the USA who are threatening to break away from our national church?

And is he really that concerned with keeping communion with the Roman Catholics….who not only don’t like our gay priests…they really are uppity about our women in collars? The Church of England has agreed women can be bishops, a big no-no with Herr Pope. How concerned are we really with having a relationship with a Church that can’t even have an honest discussion about their major cases of sexual dysfunction?

Please: will the real Rowan Williams stand up?

A Mighty Fortress

A mighty fortress is our God
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper he amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing;
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
--Hymn 687 of the 1982 Hymnal, Ein feste Burg

I’ve stopped trying to scrutinize why certain hymns start playing on the jukebox in my brain, but this old familiar tune kicked in at the end of today’s webcast featuring the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and the Bishop of New York. The camera person focused on a crucifix in the room, zoomed in, and my brain began the soundtrack. The only thing missing were the rolling credits!

The webcast was the opportunity for those of us in Episcopaland to pose questions about the concluded Lambeth Conference to the Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts-Schori. Also on hand was Bishop Mark Sisk of the Diocese of New York. Each gave their opening statements, and talked about the deepening of conversations and contacts made with their brothers and sisters from all parts of the globe. And they both reiterated the importance of everyone to finally put a face to a particular name, or a particular province. As Bishop Sisk noted, the conference helped “incarnate the (Anglican) Communion”.

As a lesbian, the issue of the Anglican Covenant…and most especially the Archbishop's strongly-held desire for the moratoria on same-sex blessings, and ordinations of LGBT people has been on my mind (and in this blog). Both Jefferts-Schori and Sisk noted that almost all the bishops at Lambeth desired a co-operative spirit in the Communion, and not very many wanted to push for decisive votes to “kick out” anybody. Again, so much for the schism. But when it comes to this idea that the Episcopal Church here, and the Anglican Church in Canada, should adhere to the moratoria and exercise a period of “gracious restraint”, the Presiding Bishop noted: “We’ve been living in the season of gracious restraint.” She said what seems lost in translation is that the Episcopal Church in the United States has been wrestling with the issues of human sexuality and, specifically, homosexuality for more than forty years, and the conversations are not going to stop. And Bishop Sisk followed up with saying that in his discussions at Lambeth he found the problem was that most of the world was really uninformed….or misinformed….about the Episcopal Church.

Jefferts-Schori noted that one bishop from outside the United States spoke his truth about how difficult the consecration of Gene Robinson had made his job in his country where perhaps homosexuality…and sexuality….is simply not discussed, and dialogue on the topic is taboo. But she said this bishop also told her, “Your job is not to be making my job easier.”

As for part three of the moratoria….which calls for a halt to other Bishops coming in from the outside to ‘pastor’ the disaffected Episcopal Churches…Jefferts-Schori said there was no plan discussed for dealing with these incursions, and she is “not terribly hopeful it will stop.”

So…in summation: Lambeth did nothing to change the status of LGBT people in the church, and yet it did do something that may prove much, much more important in the long run. It gave leaders of the church time to reflect, to study, to pray together, and to see each other as members of the Body of Christ, and not the devil in their midst. A bishop from the Church of North India recently wrote:
"As for me I have decided not to be hasty in judging the gay and the lesbians. I wish to learn more about their life and problems."
Let's hear it for more dialogue and less demonizing!

And what about the Bishop of New Hampshire? Y'know that one, the only one, not allowed to play at Lambeth with his fellow purple-shirts? Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson’s “outsider” status provided something very important to the process as well. Those who made the effort to meet him saw him for who he really is…a bishop with a passion for the Good News as revealed through Jesus Christ…as opposed to whatever warped vision was being presented by people with an agenda to discredit him, and the Episcopal Church. That testimony speaks volumes to me, and I hope other LGBT people of faith; we must continue to present ourselves and not hide who we are...even if it means standing as strangers at the gate.
As the Presiding Bishop notes, “We are converted in incarnational encounters.”

So if we stay away, or if we pretend we’re not gay so we ‘pass’, how do we ever expect anything to ever change? And who do you really think you’re fooling? God knows your heart, and knows your desires. And you can forget about keeping secrets—God’s figured those out, too.

I can not tell anyone to go to church. I certainly can’t make anyone do it. But I will say that if you are a queer and identify as Christian, you can believe that God is not the one keeping you away.

So, what are you doin’ on Sunday morning?

All Means All

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a
deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so

that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them,

“They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have
nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to
me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five
loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the
loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the
crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over
of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. Matthew 14: 15-20

As a child, one of the television shows I enjoyed the most was “Sesame Street”. I liked the creatures, and I liked to mimic the characters. That, of course, was part of the intended learning from the show. I also used to enjoy how shows on this Public Broadcasting Service program were brought to you by a number and a letter in the alphabet. I would then spend the next half-hour noting how much “product placement” they’d do, again, part of the intended education.

So this Sunday’s readings, coming in juxtaposition with the close of the Lambeth Conference in England, had somewhat of a Sesame Street feel to them. Because this week, the Extraordinary Love of God was brought to you by the word: “All”.

“All” could be found everywhere! It was in the Isaiah 55 passage with the invite to “everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” In other words, all thirsty people…come drink this living water.
The assigned Psalm 145: “The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.”
And then the real kick in the pants: “And all ate and were filled.” Not a few. Not just the disciples. All. Everyone. And it numbered five thousand (plus the women and children who…oddly in the NRSV of the Bible seem to get tacked on in the translation). Stopping, listening, paying attention to what God seems to be saying in today’s episode of My Big Fat Love:

“Everybody’s going to be fed.”

There are no exceptions. No hidden clauses. No denials to a spot at the table. Anyone with thirst, anyone with hunger will get fed. The pantry is open to all.

So what in the world does this have to do with the end of the Lambeth Conference in England? What strikes me is that there were some strides made amongst the bishops from various parts of the Communion to ratchet down their rhetoric and listen to each other. Certainly, the biggest accomplishment is a better understanding that to walk away from each other in a huff will not benefit anyone, especially as the Church continues its social justice work on issues such as poverty.
But there is still seemingly a hang-up about sex. And, sadly, it seems to only be about homosexual sex. And, even sadder, it seems to be only about the church in the United States and Canada and our willingness here to recognize that all of God’s children have a place in the church…and sometimes that place evolves into leadership. The Archbishop of Canterbury absolutely insisted that there continue to be a moratorium on the ordination of partnered LGBT people…as well as no blessings of same-sex marriages. He also doesn’t want to see any more African or South American bishops big-footing their way into the dioceses in the US. When asked about “the gay issues”, the ABC argued that while some see full inclusion of LGBT people as “simply a human rights issue” that’s an assumption he “can not accept.” He explained how the church must define itself and its rites. And he added that in saying these things he wasn’t arguing against the rights and dignity of lesbian and gay people. What if the Episcopal Church doesn’t comply with the moratoria? The ABC cautioned that this would cause further strain in the communion.

Also speaking in favor of the moratorium was the Archbishop of Hong Kong, who noted that the Church in South China in 1948 had to sacrifice the ordination of a woman to the priesthood. When that action caused too much strife in the communion, Florence Li Tim Oi gave up her license as a priest, but retained her Holy Orders as a deacon. What a pity such a thing happened! But, the Archbishop notes, it preserved the Communion. For the record, LGBT Anglicans in Hong Kong are not welcome in their own church, and must meet in private to worship together. It’s in Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson’s book. Go read it!

Perhaps some might view me as selfish, or un"generous", for not wanting to see our Church back track away from the direction we’re moving in toward full inclusion. And I’m not convinced that the Episcopal Church is going into retreat. Nothing in the final report from Lambeth is written in stone. But it does make me wonder, “What part of ‘all’ are the bishops not getting?”

To the ‘traditionalists’, I ask, “Do you really think your piece of bread, or slab of fish, is going to be diminished if I get some, too?” Oh, ye of little faith! Trust God.

The Canterbury Blues

OK...again with the "things". I've been reading, and trying as best as my brain can decipher, what all is this "fourth draft" coming out of the Lambeth conference, and what does it really mean for me, simple little lay lesbian in the hot and humid city of Tallahassee.

The portion that gives me the greatest pause, as I noted in my previous entry, is the continuation of the Windsor Report 110 which places a moratoria on same-sex blessings, ordination of openly-gay people, and incursions by outside bishops into the USA and Canada. For a really good analysis of this particular part...go look at Rev. Susan Russell's call-and-response about The Wheels on the Bus. She captures well the frustration of the LGBT faithful, and certainly what I was feeling as I scanned through the "fourth draft" of the Reflections paper from Lambeth.

All of this coming on a day where, again, the Daily Office readings, I think, do a better job of articulating God's message to anyone paying attention to God. The gospel reading was from Matthew 28...which ends with the greatest "comfort language" I've run into in all of scripture:

And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

"You" is me. "You" is Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson. "You" is Rt. Rev. Gregory Venables. "We" just need to trust in that. "We" need to quit the addiction to who has more authority on the Word of God and being right. And "We" need to stop looking for ways to have winners and losers to hold a Communion together. "We" must let God work his purpose out...and if his purpose is to bring lesbian and gay people back into the church, then so be it.

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit sweeps in and gets the talking party started amongst the disciples. Those witnessing this event think they've stumbled upon a bunch of drunken Galileans. And then Peter, in an act of courage, stands up and professes that Jesus of Nazareth is the Lord and Messiah. In many ways, I have often hoped that our bishops of the Episcopal Church would do much the same for their LGBT faithful; have the courage to profess that we are a part of God's plan for this communion. Here's hoping they do it.

The Altar of Unity

I have just finished listening to a news conference from the Lambeth Conference where the bishops are now in the difficult and sensitive process of listening and hearing each other on the issues of human sexuality. And that is human sexuality; not just homosexuality.

Observing this process so far removed from where it is happening hasn't been easy. And certainly, news that the Windsor Process and rules adopted 10 years ago that reduced LGBT Anglicans and Episcopalians to second-class status seemed to still be acceptable was extremely hurtful, and made me wonder, "Are we (gay people) again going to be sacrificed on the altar of unity of the Anglican Communion?"

But that was 48 hours ago. In this moment, I feel that no one is being sacrificed. Not the gay community. Not even the "conservative traditionalists". This, in some ways, feels like Abraham's moment with his son Isaac...where just when you think he's going to go through with plunging a knife into the kid's body to show his true love of God...God steps in and says, "Whoa, Nelly!! You don't have to do it!"

The news conference with the Archbishop Ian Ernest of Mauritius and Bishop of Colin Johnson of Toronto has given me hope. Both of them, but most especially the Archbishop who represents the African...and more conservative...voice, spoke of their conversations in their groups, their willingness to not only share their perspective, but to then set aside how they view scripture and hear from those who are coming from a different place...and in the end...look at each other and acknowledge that they can not remain on a journey toward the love and light of Christ without each other is an extremely important realization. In answering questions, Bishop Johnson noted that this is not so much a "one side versus' another" but an attempt for two sides, holding paradoxical views, to keep them in the appropriate tension. And while that may not seem hopeful, it really is. Because it means the conversation is continuing! And there was the additional discussion of polygamy...which is still practiced in parts of the communion. See: it isn't all about homosexuality.

In fact, that has been the big ruse. The notion that "homosexuality" is tearing at the fabric of the Communion is one that I rejected a long time ago. What tears at the fabric of this Communion is the fear of change. But if we can trust that God, not people, is the one driving the bus, we will see that the Holy Spirit remains alive and well and amidst those who will accept they don't have all the answers. All of us in the Anglican Communion must accept that God works in strange and mysterious ways in an effort to bring more people into the party. And, for those of us in the Western world, that means recognizing the gifts gay people have and the presence of God that we have felt in our lives, and believe that it is of God, and we have a place at the table and not under it.

The best statement out of this news conference was that there was no statement. Because that's not what's needed at this time. This time, we need real honest conversation. May God's Spirit remain in the mix of those discussions and keep the words flowing. Amen.

My Martha Moment

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.* Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

--Luke 10:38-42

Yesterday, I would say I was having a "Martha moment". I had read the many emails flooding my box about the shooting at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, and then about the attempts to discuss human sexuality at the Lambeth Conference in England without the active participation of the LGBT community. I was growing more and more despondent over the seemingly endless stream of hatred toward gays and "liberals" in one email...and then the frustration with what seems to be another message from the Anglican world that gay people can be seen, but not heard. I was starting to feel the branches that had grown up from my mustard seed the week before beginning to wilt and wither under the hot sun.

In other words....I was becoming distracted by the "things" instead of putting my focus back where it needs to be, especially at this time. I must not forget the promises I was feeling last week that "God will take care of all this." Because God will. How that will look, I don't know.

But what about the shooting? Wasn't that senseless violence? Where was God there? God doesn't want to see innocent lives lost? I would say yes to the first two questions. As for "where God was"...well, I don't have a GPS device that can determine that sort of thing, but I don't believe God 'condoned' that act of aggression. However, out of this tragedy, what is emerging is a story of a gunman who was suffering in this economy, and had been fed full of the hatred spewed by the likes of FOX News' Sean Hannity and others who lay the blame for all things bad on "liberals" "gays" and "women libbers". And this lost soul decided the UU's harbored such "people" and thus he went there to kill two people, and wound five others. And so while we mourn this act of senseless violence, we must also as a society recognize the factors that fueled this: poverty and unchecked hate speech. And we (me included) can demand more action on poverty...and certainly when we encounter "hate speech" in our presence, we can overcome fear....and call a bully a bully.

And actions at Lambeth? I can't do anything except pray. Pray that by some miracle a la the Book of Acts that the Holy Spirit can help translate two very divergent viewpoints...and find a middle ground that will keep people at the table. Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda....they've walked away in more ways than one. But let's work with those who, despite their serious misgivings, have come to Lambeth. May God give them the patience to muddle their way through their differences and me the peace of mind that this is out of my hands, but God will not forget his LGBT children.

Post-script: A client who has closely followed the UU church shooting informed me today that the gunman, who failed in his suicide attempt because some UN-armed church members tackled him, had a history of domestic violence. He had threatened his ex-wife by putting a gun to her head. Ex-wife was a member of that UU congregation.

Staying Steady in the Storm

I have found this week to be such an interesting example of God's way of pricking at the conscience of anyone who wants to pay attention.

During a week in which the Archbishop of Sudan called for Bishop Robinson of New Hampshire to resign for the sake of "unity", the words we in the Episcopal Church are directed to read every day are from Paul's letter to the Romans. Look at this passage from Romans 15:

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbour for the good purpose of building up the neighbour. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Two people, with polar opposite views on human sexuality and the Church, can read this same passage and have two different opinions (each will likely think of themselves as the strong one needing to put up with the weak one). But regardless of who is who, the plea is for us to come together in Christ. What an amazing passage to have put before me as I gather news via email and the internet about what is occurring in the life of the Anglican Communion!

This, and other readings from Romans this week, have been so important. At a moment when I might otherwise have wanted to take hold of the wheel of this boat I'm in and run it ashore in anger, disappointment, and disgust...these messages have been the reminder to me that God is running this river trip, his hands have a steady hold on the wheel, and he will take care of getting the boat through all the choppy waters. He's got it under control. And my mind, my heart, my soul remain calm. If there's one thing I think I've learned, when I get the signal to keep my hands off the wheel, I can trust the boat won't capsize.

As for Bishop Gene Robinson, I ask those reading to pray for him. Below, I have copied some of his statement from his blog (http://www.canterburytalesfromthefringe.blogspot.com/) in regards to the Archbishop's comments. The bishop, wisely I think, is keeping his comments to his own blog which was established mostly for communication back to the citizens of New Hampshire, but certainly is viewed by anyone who goes looking for it. May God continue to grant him strength and courage to love and serve in the name of Jesus Christ. He does it well.


First, this is also about the faithful people of New Hampshire who called me to be their bishop. Everyone seems to forget that I am not here representing myself, but rather all the people of the Diocese of New Hampshire, with whom it is my privilege to minister in Christ's name. They have called me to minister with them as their Bishop, and suggestions that I resign ignore the vows that I have taken to serve my flock in New Hampshire. I would no more let them down or reneg on my commitments to them than fly to the moon. We may be the one diocese in the entire Communion who is, for the most part, beyond all this obsession with sex and are getting on with the Gospel. They would be infuriated, as well they should be, if I entertained any notion of resigning. And it is not just Gene Robinson who is being denied representation at the Lambeth Conference, it is the people of New Hampshire who have been deprived of a seat at the table.
Second, those calling for my resignation seem to be under the impression that if Gene Robinson went away, that all would go back to being "like it was," whatever that was! Does ANYONE think that if I resigned, this issue would go away?! I could be hit by a big, British, doubledecker bus today, and it would not change the fact that there are faithful, able and gifted gay and lesbian priests of this Episcopal Church who are known and loved for what they bring to ordained ministry, who will before long be recognized with a nomination for the episcopate (as has already happened in dioceses other than New Hampshire), and one of them will be elected. Not because they are gay or lesbian, but because the people who elect them recognize their gifts for ministry in that particular diocese. We are not going away, as much as some would like us to. That toothpaste isn't going to go back into the tube! Not if the Bishop of New Hampshire resigns. Not if the "offending" bishops leave the Lambeth Conference. Not ever.
I especially need your prayers tonight. It is the first of two Wednesday evenings in which some American bishops will sponsor a Fringe Event (officially sanctioned, not as part of the conference, but as a Fringe Event), for bishops and spouses of the Communion to come and meet their brother bishop Gene. After four bishops describe the process that led to my election and consent, and testimony, one from a bishop who voted for my consent and one who voted against consent, about my warm welcome into our House of Bishops by virtually all members of our House, even and especially those who voted "no." They will bear witness, I hope, to how the Episcopal Church is forging a model for ministry together, despite our differences. Something the Anglican Communion might want to learn from.
Then I will be introduced -- not by a bishop, but by the people of New Hampshire who elected me. A DVD presentation will include voices of clergy and laity from New Hampshire introducing me and reflecting on our ministry together. I am so proud of that.
I will then attempt to share my own witness to the love of Christ in my own life. It will not be a "sell job," although I'm sure some will judge it to be that. Rather, my one goal is to talk about my own life and journey in Christ in such a way that those who are listening will perceive that the God I know in my own life is the same God they know in THEIR lives. Then we can wrestle with the faithful differences we have in interpreting that God's will for us and for God's church. I feel an enormous weight on my shoulders as this evening approaches, and hence ask for your prayers. I assume that God will, as God has always done, supply me with the words I need. Not MY words, but GOD'S words, as best I can open myself to being a channel for those words. Those who have ears to hear, by the grace of God, will hear.
This has gone on much too long, and I apologize. But as I write these words, my faith in God is strengthened and my spirit is calmed. As a friend of mine is fond of saying, "God is good. All the time." I trust that this evening will be no different.

Do the work

Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister?* Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?* For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.* For it is written,‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to* God.’ So then, each of us will be accountable to God.* --Romans 14: 10-12

How interesting that the above was part of the assigned readings yesterday, a day upon which the bishop of Sudan called for the bishop of New Hampshire to resign! And I guess I can understand: I mean, if my alternative was to talk about the genocide in Darfur I guess I'd rather yammer on about something else, too. So much easier to look at human sexuality than human suffering!

Cattiness aside, I continue to offer my prayers for +Gene Robinson, the Archbishop of Canterbury, our Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts-Schori, and all others as the Lambeth Conference moves along.

I was thinking yesterday about where +Gene stands, on the outside of this Conference, and again had this feeling that perhaps this really is the best place for him. I know it would be more personally beneficial for him to be in a place where he can study and learn with his brothers and sisters. But being where he is gives the bishop the chance to take the word of God to the streets...where it is needed most. It gives him the place to make connections with individuals who need to know that this enormous love of God's is real, that redemption is there, and that they can experience a personal resurrection to liberate them from their eternal deaths...whatever form that is taking in their lives.

+Gene can communicate such a message. I pray that God continues to open his lips, so his mouth proclaims God's praise.

Well, on second thought...

Open your ears, O faithful people,
Open your ears and hear God's word.
Open your hearts, O royal priesthood,
God has come to you.

God has spoken to his people, Hallelujah!
And his words are words of wisdom, Hallelujah!
Torah ora, Torah ora, Torah ora, Hallelujah!

--Hymn 536, Hymnal 1982
*Torah ora is Hebrew for, "The Law is our Light"

Today, my heart sunk when I read that our own House of Bishops meeting at Lambeth Palace in Canterbury, England are dissing their brother-in-Christ, +Gene Robinson. They'll hold one of those special gatherings for just your own little corner of the Communion on Tuesday, and they've decided to play along with the Archbishop of Canterbury's rule that no one should engage that red-nosed, pink-triangled bishop from New Hampshire in any of our bishop games.
And here I had thought that there might be some hearts changing at least within our own church. But there seems to be some bizarre overriding concern that if they were to include Robinson, they're taking a risk of getting ex-communicated from the Communion. Maybe they don't realize that, if you listen to +Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone, those Bishops who call themselves "traditionalists" have already dropped the Episcopal Church from the picture. So what's the real risk then?

They who have ears to hear the message,
they who have ears, then let them hear.
They who would learn the way of wisdom,
let them hear God's word.

I can't believe that the God who called me back into the fold last November, and has been in some sort of hot pursuit of me ever since, wants me, and anyone like me, to be banished into the badlands. I don't believe God sees me as a weed that will get tossed into the fire at "the harvest time". Why, then, is it so hard for those gathering at Lambeth to overcome whatever this barrier is that keeps them from seeing Christ in all people? What is this fear?

Lately, the collects have been bringing tears to my eyes. The following one seems appropriate for my feelings today....even though it's the one scheduled for next Sunday:

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
--Proper 12, the collect for the Sunday closest to July 27

For all at Canterbury these next two weeks, I offer this simple prayer from the author Anne LaMott:

O God: Help! Help! Help!

A Lesson on Inclusion?

I have been quite busy this past week. I’ve seen many clients, and given a presentation at the Department of Education, and worked on house projects. And even with all that busy “doing of life”, I can’t ever escape the constant call to show up and pay attention to my spiritual self as well. And my spiritual thoughts have drifted overseas to England where the bishops of the Anglican Communion are coming together in Canterbury to work, pray, sing and otherwise hob-nob with each other.

Already I have read what’s been happening on the inside of the bishop bash. It sounds like this is an incredible chance for those from the privileged world to meet their equals from the not-so-privileged countries, and both sides can learn and gain much from each other’s experiences of the Bible and its relevance in the lives of their people. And it seems the Bishops are also getting some schooling in what exactly their roles can or should be within their provinces and dioceses. All of this sounds like a chance for some genuine personal and spiritual growth.

And I ache as I think about the one who has been specifically and intentionally excluded. For many days now, when I have stopped to pray for those at Lambeth, I have found myself weeping about Bishop Gene Robinson’s place on the outside, “the fringe” as it’s called of Lambeth in the Marketplace. His rejection from the party has felt much bigger than simply rejection of “Gene, the Gay Bishop”. It sent a chill to any “out” person in the church that our earthly reward for living our lives in truth of who we are is too threatening to the straight majority, and will stir things up too much, and we must be kept locked outside the gate so as not to disrupt decorum. How insulting and un-Christ-like can you get?

But this morning, I woke up with another thought, one that takes the tears of hurt and turns them into the soothing waters my heart needs if I’m going to offer any further prayers for the Archbishop of Canterbury, and any of the others attending Lambeth and be genuine in my petitions.

Painful as it is to know that my brother-in-Christ is left out….what if it really is God’s will? What if God, a power of wisdom beyond wisdom, has a plan at work here, and if I quit my own gnashing of teeth, I might realize that the Holy Spirit is doing some business that I might not now understand?

At a press conference, the Bishop of New Jersey was asked a question about Bishop Robinson’s exclusion. The Bishop, who had waxed eloquent about how wonderful the experience of Lambeth had already been, began to speak about his personal disappointment that Gene is not with them….and then began to choke up, and had to stop to regain his composure. Clearly, the pain is felt by those on the inside as well.

What if the Bishop of New Jersey is not alone? What if others are, or will be, sensing that there is something not quite right here? That a sheep has gone missing, and needs to be called back? What if they start looking at the Gospel of John and the story of Jesus’ talk with the Samaritan woman and see not only the need to include and engage women in the church, but to include and engage all minorities…even the LGBT community in the invitation to drink of the living water? What if Bishop Robinson’s exile serves as the necessary “outward and visible sign” that some bishops in the Communion need in order to see that it’s not enough to give lip service to inclusion, but they must take action and include those they’ve been content to ignore, or sweep under the carpet?

As these thoughts rattled around in my brain, the number one hit on the juke box in my head began again:

God is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year.
God is working his purpose out
and the time is drawing near.
Nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be;
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
And the waters cover the sea.

I have no way of knowing if this is indeed a design of God’s will to keep Bishop Robinson out. As I’ve said before, I’m no expert on the mind of the Almighty. But my sense is the Holy Spirit may use this as a teaching moment for everyone…on the inside and the outside…if they just have the wisdom to stay awake, and pay attention. I doubt there will be any change in the hearts of those outside the USA who are so adamantly opposed to the New Hampshire bishop. Many of them don’t like our female Presiding Bishop much either, and so c’est la vie.

But maybe, just maybe, some more members of the House of Bishops from this country will have to examine their special place of inclusion at Lambeth and ask, “Why not him? Is he not my brother? Is he not my neighbor?” …and then, “Have I been doing the same thing in my own diocese toward LGBT people seeking greater participation in the church?” May such questions lead to wisdom for those with ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to feel God’s inclusive love for everyone.

Go, Gene, go

I am in the process of reading "In the Eye of the Storm" by New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson. I figured, "Hey, I'm gonna be in New Hampshire. I wanna read his book." And, as I've said before in this blog, the most striking thing about the book is reading Gene's passion for "the Good News", not just "the gay news". Bishop Robinson loves the Bible. He wants to share it with people because it's been his own lifeline and a connection to something greater than himself.

I'm only half-way through the book, but he's so far candidly covered the topic of sexuality, both from a Biblical scholarly perspective and noting the current struggles as they play out in the church. And where I'm at now is his constant reminder to everyone: God loves us all...each one of us....in all our imperfect and perfect ways. And God wants only one thing in return for his love: he wants us to love him back. These are the words of a man who has a spirit of Christ within him that is obvious to those who know him, and can be found by reading his words.

And yet, I don't think he'll ever stop being "the gay bishop" to most of the world. Because most of the world can not see beyond his sexual orientation. This week, he and others are on their way to England for the Lambeth Conference. Except, Bishop Robinson is the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer of the bishops and hasn't been invited to their reindeer games. And yet, he's going. He will stand on the outside of the gates along with others. He will preach one Sunday. And he will show "For The Bible Tells Me So" as a fundraiser for AIDS treatment programs in Africa.

It would be better if the Archbishop had seen fit to invite him inside to hob-nob and study alongside his fellow church leaders. But perhaps his exclusion will serve as a visible reminder to those in the Communion of good conscience to ask the difficult questions, and remind the AC that "lost sheep" come in all variations of humanity and we should be working toward a more inclusive Church.

To stay abreast of what all is happening from the perspective of +Gene Robinson, follow these links:

http://www.canterburytalesfromthefringe.blogspot.com/

There will also be a daily VIDEO blog for Claiming the Blessing, called The Lambeth Gene Pool:http://lambethgenepool.blogspot.com/

May God's peace which passes all understanding keep the hearts and minds of all inside and outside Lambeth 2008 in a place of openess and willingness to hear each other. Amen.

Comment from Canterbury on anti-gay violence

If you have been following the news in the world of the Anglican Communion, you might have heard about the escalating violence towards LGBT-Anglican leaders in Nigeria. The Archbishop of Canterbury has decided to weigh in:

In response to reports of violence and threats towards Christians involved in the debate on human sexuality, the Archbishop of Canterbury has given the following statement:

“The threats recently made against the leaders of Changing Attitudes are disgraceful. The Anglican Communion has repeatedly, through the Lambeth Conference and the statements from its Primates’ Meetings, unequivocally condemned violence and the threat of violence against gay and lesbian people. I hope that this latest round of unchristian bullying will likewise be universally condemned.”

I am happy the ABC has issued this statement. The threats against these leaders are real, and, frankly, the Church has done little to stop it. In fact, the Anglican Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola is an outspoken homophobe!

And while I'm glad to see the ABC acknowledge that this sort of "bullying" is "unchristian", I wonder if he will take time to meditate on his own actions and how they play into this sort of violence in which bigots are emboldened to beat other human beings simply because they are gay. The ABC could not find it within himself to extend an invitation to the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson to attend the once-a-decade Bishop-athon (aka the Lambeth Conference). Surely the Archbishop is a learned man, and I'm sure quite capable of mindfulness and soul-searching prayer. Perhaps now would be a good time for him to consider that by specifically excluding the one and only openly-gay bishop in the Anglican Communion, he unwittingly and unknowingly became a tacit conspirator in the violence. I'm not saying that he condoned these attacks. But too often people in authority fail to see how their words and their actions become the justification for "unchristian bullying".

The Integrity group in the Episcopal Church plans to be in England this summer to bear witness to the bishops in attendance about the realities of our lives, and the discrimination we still face. May God give all the grace to listen and hear the truth that is likely to be spoken.

Staying Centered in the Face of Stupidity

At lunch, when I checked in on my email, I found the message pasted below from the Walking with Integrity listserve. Integrity, for those who don’t know, is the LGBT group of the Episcopal Church. I will offer some thoughts on the other side of this letter. Points of emphasis in the text are mine, not the Bishop’s:

The Rt Rev. Gene Robinson, although an elected diocesan bishop in the Episcopal Church has not been invited to attend the Lambeth Conference of bishops of the Anglican Communion. Lambeth Palace offered him a place in the Marketplace - the exhibit hall for the conference. Here is his letter in response:

I first want to thank Ed and Bruce and Tom. (ed.note - the bishops who tried to negotiate with Lambeth for Gene and the House of Bishops) They have been so true to what they were asked to do by the Presiding Bishop. They have been in close communication with me. I have felt very supported by them. They have represented me extremely well.

I want to be clear than I am not here to whine. I learned of the result of this negotiation on Friday evening. I have been in considerable pain ever since.But I want to acknowledge that I am not the first or last person to be in pain at a House of Bishops meeting.

My own pain was sufficient enough that for 36 hours I felt the compelling urge to run, to flee. My inspiration for staying came from my conservative brothers in this house. I have seen John Howe and Ed Salmon and others show up for years when there was a lot of pain for them. I see Bill Love and Mark Lawrence, and I know it is a very difficult thing for them to be here right now. For me, the worst sin is leaving the table. And that is what I was on the verge of doing. But, largely because of you, I stayed. Thank you for that.

I want to tell you why I declined the invitation as it was proposed. I really had high hopes that something might work out. I have been talking with the Anglican Communion Office for almost a year now. I got my first phone call four days before the invitations to Lambeth went out. I thought something would work out.

The offer to be hosted at the Marketplace is a non-offer. That is already available to me. One workshop on one afternoon and being interviewed by the secular press was not anything I was seeking. I wasn't going to Lambeth to have another interview with the secular press. If interviewed at all, I want to talk with a theologian. I want to talk about the love of Christ. I want to talk about the God who saved me and redeemed me and continues to live in my life. I want to talk about the Jesus I know in my life.

But my mind boggles at the misperception that this is just about gay rights. It might be in another context, but in this context it is about God's love of all of God's children. It's a theological discussion, it's not a media show. I have been most disappointed in that my desire was to participate in Bible study and small groups, and that is not being offered. It makes me wonder: if we can't sit around a table and study the Bible together, what kind of communion do we have and what are we trying to save?

I am dismayed and sickhearted that we can't sit around a table, as brothers and sisters in Christ, and study scripture together.It has been a very difficult 48 hours sitting here and hearing your plans for Lambeth.In my most difficult moments, it feels as if, instead of leaving the 99 sheep in search of the one, my chief pastor and shepherd, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has cut me out of the herd.

I ask two things of you. Some of you have indicated that if I am not invited, you won't go either. I want to say loud and clear - you must go. You must find your voice. And somehow you have to find my voice and the voices of all the gay and lesbian people in your diocese who, for now, don't have a voice in this setting. I'd much rather be talked to than talked about. But you must go and tell the stories of your people, faithful members of your flock who happen to be lesbian and gay.

For God's sake, don't stay away.

And second, please don't let them separate me from you. Please don't let that happen. It will be difficult, and we will have to be intentional. I know that the last thing you will need at the end of the day is another meeting just so I can catch up with you. But I hope you will be willing to stay in touch with me.

From the day I have walked into this House I have been treated with respect and welcome, even, and perhaps especially, by those of you who voted no on my consent. I can never thank you enough for that. I will always and every moment treasure your welcome and your hospitality.

Don't let them cut me off from you.

All this is really sad for me and for my diocese. I won't have the experiences you will have, to share with them. But I will be there in the marketplace, willing to talk with anyone who wants to talk, especially with those who disagree with me. If you know me at all, you know that that's true.

Now, my focus has to change. Maybe this is what God has in mind. I had hoped to focus on the community of bishops at Lambeth, making my own contribution to its deliberations. But now, I think I will go to Lambeth thinking about gay and lesbian people around the world who will be watching what happens there. I will go to Lambeth remembering the 100 or so twenty-something's I met in Hong Kong this fall, who meet every Sunday afternoon to worship and sing God's praise in a secret catacomb of safety - because they can't be gay AND Christian in their own churches. I will be taking them to Lambeth with me. They told me that the Episcopal Church was their hope for a different, welcoming church. They told me they were counting on us. Yes, the things we do in the Episcopal Church have ramifications far, far away - and sometimes those ramifications are good.

I hope we can talk about the ways we can stay in touch in Lambeth. I will be praying for you, all the time. I know it will seem very strange, being separated from you. But we can do it if we want to. I have nothing but respect and sympathy for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the difficult place he is in. I was trying to help him, and it just didn't work.

Pray for me. I will need that. A lot.

I do pray for the Bishop. A lot. I have found the pounding of fists, and gritting of teeth and foaming at the mouth about his consecration amazingly insane. And while I can appreciate that not everyone in the Anglican Communion believes that scripture condones homosexuality, I think it is a sad, sad day when all the Canterbury clan can see is the sexual orientation of a bishop, and not the spirit of God that dwells within him. New Hampshire chose Gene. And New Hampshire is not some wild-eyed liberal love-in place, believe me!! (That’s why God created Vermont!) To deny Gene a place at the table is a denial of my native state….and not just the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of that state. To try to set him off to the side is again telling the LGBT community in the Episcopal Church that we’re “sort of” welcomed to take part in this “Anglican Communion”.

And so, the Archbishop has not only failed to go looking for the one sheep…he seems to be unconcerned about the wolves that are trying to circle it! Some shepherd he is!

Angry? Yes, I am. At God? No, I am not. Again, back to the earlier post on “Episcoponderings”, I know that these machinations are those created by men, and do not represent the will of God. They are not even necessarily those of the Episcopal Church, since I feel confident that our PB Katharine Jefferts-Schori would rather have Gene sitting with her and the others at the big Bishop bash in England this summer. And what does all of this have to do with my own relationship with God? Nothing really. It’s just more noise, more bright shiny objects, more attempts to blot out the light with the darkness of dumb-dumbs and knock me off my center.

And so while I pray for Gene, for the ABC, for the PB, and for all the others, I pray for myself, too:

Keep my eyes focused, my ears alert, and my heart open to the truth, the love and the light. Amen.