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Local and National Advocacy
One
of the most contentious issue facing the Episcopal church today is how to
deal with matters related to human sexuality. Three issues seem to
elicit the most intense debate: the blessing of same sex unions, the
appointment of non calibrate gay or lesbian priests and the election of non-calibrate gay or lesbian Bishops. While the American
Episcopal Church, by the Election of Bishop Gene Robertson demonstrated
that sexual orientation was not to be a
barrier to full participation in the affairs of the Church, Bishops from
other countries which do not subscribe to our democratic principles are
attempting to reverse our decision.
Their most recent efforts called for a response by the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church. Our House of Bishops response was presented in a document entitled 'Questions and Concerns Raised by our Anglican Communion Partners'.
Two
weeks following The House of Bishops' response Presiding
Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori opened an hour-long live internet
interview with a prepared statement recapping the events of last month’s
House of Bishops meeting in New Orleans and its controversial response to
the primates’ communiqué.
In a web-cast on October 16th, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
acknowledged that progressives and conservatives in the Church had been disappointed by portions of the statement, but that its scope was
intended to be broad. “That is an Anglican stance,” she said. “It
recognizes that the body is larger than any one of us.”
She defended continued membership in the Anglican Communion, tying it to
the church’s ability to witness to a broader audience on behalf of the
normalization of homosexuality. She concluded the statement by declaring,
“There will be no outcasts in this church, whether because of sexual
orientation” or theological belief.”
During
the program a commenter from Rochester, N.Y., noted that the position of
the House of Bishops was seen by gay and lesbian Episcopalians as “a
step backward.”
“I'm sorry you see it as a step backward,” Bishop Schori
said. A majority of the bishops saw it as a "holding pattern,"
she said, adding that she didn't believe there is any wide willingness on
the part of most Episcopalians to go backward. Asked when the time of
“fasting” might end, she said, “I am certain that we will have
another discussion at the next General Convention,” repeating, “We are
called to fast together until then.”
She stated that the 'decision to delay consecrating more openly gay bishops or officially blessing same-sex couples felt like a "crucifixion" to her.
You
may listen to the whole conversation by clicking on one of the video or
audio options presented below:
Download Video & Audio:
Presiding Bishops Address: Video
|Audio
Questions Part 1: Video
| Audio
Questions Part 2: Video
| Audio