The Episcopal Church in the USA
(ECUSA) opened its triennial
General Convention in Columbus OH on Saturday.
In a well-balanced review of the opening of the GC, Steve Levin summarized the runup to this year's meeting. They include the election of V. Gene Robinson to be Bishop of New Hampshire, the reaction to his election, and the subsequent creation of a panel of clerics in the Church of England to prepare what is now know as the Windsor Report that attempted to forge a via media between the arch-conservatives in the conservative provinces and the ECUSA.
More below the fold...
I am essentially a life-long Episcopalian, descended from a long line of liberal Lutheran pastors, formerly known as the Evangelical Church. My father didn't realize what a brilliant choice he'd made when he signed us up in the early 1950's to be 'Piskys. Most of the members of ECUSA don't subscribe to fundamentalism, and the majority of them aren't even conservative. They're strong on social justice, a sizable percentage are militant about outreach, wealth-sharing with those less fortunate. The church in general stresses the communal nature of Christianity, and works to correct any feelings of moral superiority that may crop up from time to time. This last is particularly difficult, since historically the ECUSA, while smaller, tends to be wealthier than, say, the Methodists or Baptists.
But I digress. GC this year faces a daunting list of resolutions on the issue of sexuality, and whether it is appropriate for a gay or lesbian, living in a committed, monogamous relationship, to be elected a Bishop, as V. Gene Robinson was three years ago. Many if not most of these resolutions refer to the Windsor Report, variously praising or redirecting its many points. As time permits, I'll post updates on these resolutions, how they are amended, whether they pass or fail, and what that portends for the Episcopal Church, if I may be so bold as to predict. Failing that, I'll point you to others, no doubt more credentialed than I, who will help you understand how this truly remarkable denomination attempts the impossible: staying together and squabbling without descending into anger and hatred.
Steve Levin's headline, IMO, was misleading. The central issue before the ECUSA isn't sex. It's only the catalyst for the discussion. The issue is about interpretation of Holy Scripture, a subject that will captivate far fewer readers.
Yawwnnn. OK, wake up, wachet auf, whatever. Why should we care about what happens in the Episcopal Church? I believe it's because the Episcopal Church has been and remains a leader in progressive thought in the US today. It has always insisted that its theology maintains a rational basis, and that its mission doesn't exist outside a community of believers.
We should care because of who we are. From the Gospel of John in last Sunday's reading, we have a spiritual side, we're not just cattle: "What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit." Oh ho, so the discussion isn't just about messing around, rolling in the hay, copulating, getting it on, so to speak. It's about love, and commitment, and bonding. This has never been a problem with, roughly, 90-95% of the membership, but there's that little matter of the unrepresented 5-10% that we've been sweeping into the closet, if not under the rug. How does a Christian family like the Episcopal Church in the USA deal with those of its family who fall in love with, bond with and commit to other members of their own sex? Is it God's Grace or a perversion thereof? Who has authority to judge the distribution of God's love? Is Scripture organic, informing, indeed, transforming our daily lives? Or is it static, "inerrant", a mighty fortress, a bulwark never failing against relativism and the vicissitudes of our culture? I think you know my viewpoint. Unconditional love isn't as easy as any of us think; life without judgement is just a corollary.