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My Church Builds Its Case for LGBT Justice
My Church Builds Its
Case for LGBT Justice
by Liz Stedman
The
editorial in the
April 2005 issue of OITM understandably expressed both appreciation
and trepidation in reaction to a recent statement by the Episcopal Church
House of Bishops. In that statement, the House of Bishops announced a
moratorium on the consecrations of all bishops – not just gay bishops
– for at least a one-year period. Appreciation. The bishops also
announced their decision not to bless same-sex unions for the same period
of time. Trepidation.
As queer folk wait hopefully
for the Episcopal Church to stand firm in its commitment to glbt justice,
we in the United States need to bear in mind the global context in which
this conversation is playing out. Part of what the American church is
trying to do is maintain its ties with the other 37 national churches
in the Anglican Communion. It may be tempting to write off those other
churches. Why can't the Episcopal Church join forces with its Canadian
sister and establish a church where lgbt justice is simply the rule?
There are many answers to this
question, many reasons that Episcopalians who are committed to lgbt justice
also see the urgent necessity that the American church remain in the Communion.
For queer people, one of the most urgent reasons is this: the Anglican
Communion has said that it will – finally – begin to listen
to the Episcopal Church as we make the case explaining why we have acted
as we have in consecrating an openly gay man and permitting same-sex blessings
to continue. The Communion has asked the Episcopal Church to articulate
the Christian basis for our actions, drawing on the recognized sources
of Anglican authority: scripture, tradition, and human reason.
As in the United States, across the
globe homophobia is most often justified by appeals to religious belief.
To make headway in our fight for justice, we have to begin making headway
in changing these entrenched systems of belief. The Episcopal Church has
the opportunity to "witness" to church leadership in places
where lgbt folks suffer far worse oppression than is the norm in the U.S.
But we can take this opportunity only if we are still sitting at the table
with the other churches in the Communion. This is creating a tough balancing
act for the American church, which the House of Bishops' statement reflects.
It is not a black and white issue
– and lgbt people throughout the world need it not to be a black
and white issue. The Episcopal Church needs to keep this discussion in
the grey area in order to continue communicating with the rest of the
Anglican Communion. That grey area is embodied in the Episcopal Church’s
voluntary withdrawal of formal representation at the Anglican Consultative
Council: we will be in the room as observers and available to present
testimony, to consult, to continue the conversation; we are not being
locked out, we are not walking away.
I join thousands of Episcopalians
who are pressing our church to maintain its stand for justice. We pray
that the church will shoulder this awesome opportunity to engage in global
dialogue, making the strongest case we can for the inherently Christian
call for justice. I join millions of Anglicans in praying that the church
leaders in other Provinces will open their hearts to be moved by the witness
of the churches in the U.S. and Canada. We are already joined by several
other Provinces, including the church in Scotland and, as Vermonters recently
heard for themselves from former Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the church in
South Africa.
The Episcopal Church is struggling
not just to stay in communion with a handful of archbishops, but also
with the gay and lesbian people who themselves are Anglicans, or who live
in countries where the Anglican church influences public policy about
the treatment of queer people. Whether we are Episcopalians, members of
the lgbt community, or both, Americans affected by today's church politics
must bear this in mind. It ain't just about us.
Liz Stedman is a candidate for the Episcopal priesthood and a member
of St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Burlington.