A Open Letter
From St. Aelred's Guild
A Ministry to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Persons
At Trinity Episcopal Church, Ft. Wayne, Indiana

 

To our friends, church family and especially our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters in the Episcopal Church in the diocese of Northern Indiana, may this message bring blessings, peace and love as we venture down a path of reconciliation.

We are grateful for the actions at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Minneapolis in August. For the first time in history, a mainline, Christian denomination affirmed the election of an openly gay man as Bishop. By all accounts, Bishop-elect Gene Robinson revealed himself to be eminently qualified for the episcopate and conducted himself with dignity, decorum and abiding faith through a process punctuated by intense scrutiny and a brief but unsuccessful attempt to attack his character.

Bishop-elect Robinson is not the first or only gay or lesbian person in the clergy of the Episcopal Church. He is one among many. His distinction is his honesty in revealing himself and his partner of 14 years as part of his life and his family. We hope and pray that the example set by the people of New Hampshire, who voted for Gene based on his qualifications and his twenty plus years of service in that diocese, will be a positive influence in our diocese and in other churches. Ultimately, we must realize as a culture and a faith community, that sexual orientation is not a serious factor in qualifying or disqualifying anyone for anything. In Bishop-elect Robinson's case, it was the quality of his relationships, with his partner, his daughters and his former wife and their reciprocal support, that defined the moment.

The manner in which the General Convention conducted itself through a contentious and tense process was commendable. Prayer was central in all its deliberations. Civility and respectful listening was apparent in both voting houses. The opinions of those who disagreed were heard and considered by the majority. Since we know there are those in our own diocese who are distressed over Robinson's confirmation, we hope that a similar attitude of respectful listening will prevail.

There are many in our diocese who interpret Robinson's election as a positive step for the church. They and we associate such action as an affirmation of the church's journey toward genuine welcome and inclusion for absolutely everyone seeking welcome in a faith based community. Such actions remind us of "The Greatest Commandment" referred to in four (synoptic) of the gospels. That was Jesus' answer to questioning by legal scholars, "What is the greatest commandment?" His response was "First love God with all your heart and mind, then yourself and your neighbor. On these two commandments hang all the laws and all the prophets".

General Convention also passed Resolution C051, which acknowledges that clergy and people of faith and good conscience throughout the church are giving and receiving blessings of same gender couples. Holy Matrimony is a sacrament based on loving, committed relationships between two adults. We are hopeful that our Bishop and clergy will evolve in this understanding and welcome consideration of every couple seeking such blessing, not just heterosexual ones.

We will continue to offer a safe haven and unqualified welcome in our ministry through St. Aelred's Guild. We do this with increasing support and affirmation from our congregational family. Every day is an opportunity for all of us to learn, understand and appreciate who we are in our diversity of color, ethnicity, ability and disability, sexual orientation and all the other factors that make us unique, gifted and the children of the same creator.

While a few who are fearful or distressed over change may lash out publicly or privately, we will remain firm and steadfast. We will encourage everyone to find their voice for peace, justice and inclusion. Unfortunately, other voices have spoken first. We regret the pain and suffering such remarks have caused. We will not remain silent in the presence of misinformation or attitudes which promote exclusion and discrimination in the church.

The church is a place of many opinions and traditions. Historically, the Anglican Communion since the 1500's and later the Episcopal Church, has chosen Richard Hooker's " middle way". It has influenced our ability to live in tension and mutual respect while we consider and then initiate change. It has enabled us to overcome slavery, racism and sexism. None of these areas are works completed but they are in progress. We have ordained women and people of color and now we have confirmed the ordination of a qualified gay man.

There are some who have used a more literal interpretation of scripture to justify exclusion and oppression by the church of lesbian and gay persons. We believe they are misinformed about polity and tradition in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. They have not read Hooker or they are ignoring his work. While there is deep respect for the centrality of scripture, we are informed by our experience and our ability to reason as God's gift to us in understanding his word. With that perspective we know that the writers and scribes of the New Testament and the oralists of the Old Testament had no understanding or awareness of gay or lesbian relationships. None of the often-quoted texts refer to committed relationships that are the issue in modern times. We hope everyone will move quickly and seriously to a discussion using modern understanding to liberate us all from misinformation.

It is the misinformation that hurts us so deeply. We found stereotypes on web sites which claim their authority through the endorsement of a few clergy and bishops. We hope that leaders who are informed, as an act of personal conscience and integrity, will denounce these kinds of images and lies publicly. If we are to truly grow up as a body, we must see each other as we are, not as the misinformed imagine us.

While the dust is settling, some amount of chaos which change brings, will ensue. We understand that ignorant and hurtful statements and behaviors may occur. Whether intentional or not, they will cause pain and suffering. When the discussion centers on who is worthy of being acceptable for ordination, marriage or any other aspect of church life and leadership, it is damaging to those targeted as unworthy. It is harmful to the church as well and strikes at the core of our mission, which is to love each other not judge each other categorically.

We hope and pray that by speaking the truth in love, nonviolently and relentlessly, justice and inclusion will prevail, and the Episcopal Church will welcome absolutely everyone.

 

Kate Bishop, Convener, St. Aelred's Guild, Trinity Episcopal Church, Ft. Wayne, IN

St. Aelred's Guild meets the first Friday of every month in the Lounge at Trinity, 611 West Berry Street. We begin at 5:30 PM with Evening Prayer or the Eucharist followed by a light dinner and discussion from 6 to 8 PM. All are welcome.

Information: 744-1115

posted: Nov. 19, 2003