Church news...

For the record, I am not an Episcopalian.  I think it's important, however, to recognize when a major church takes steps to be inclusive of LGBT people, especially when so many churches seem to do otherwise.  Too often, I believe that LGBT youth are given the message that there is no spiritual home for them.  This can be devastating, especially given the profound difficulties LGBT youth can face. So I list these events not at someone who hopes bring people "into the fold," but to acknowledge that not all churches are part of the anti-LGBT movement.

So here are four significant events in the Anglican Church this past week might give us hope.  I've mentioned two of them in past posts.

1. On Saturday, December 5,  the Episcopal Church (the Anglican Church in the United States) elected its first openly lesbian bishop.  Gene Robinson of New Hampshire was the first openly gay bishop.  Rev. Mary Glasspool was elected assistant bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles.  Following Rev. Robinson's election to bishop, the Anglican Church became fractured.  No doubt Rev. Glasspool's election will deepen that division.


2. We shouldn't simplify or assume that all are in agreement in the Anglican Church.  There are profound differences, especially between the Episcopal Church (The US Anglican Church) and the Anglican Church in other parts of the world regarding LGBT people.   One vocal opponent of the Anti Homosexuality Law proposed in Uganda (which would put LGBT to death) has been an Anglican Bishop in that country,  Canon Gideon Byamugisha.  He has stated that if Uganda moves forward and passes the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009, it will amount of a "gay genocide" in the country.  It's safe to assume that the more conservative Anglican Church in Africa would not be supportive of either Rev. Robinson or Rev. Glasspool, but Byamugisha's decisive opposition to the pending law in Uganda should not be understated.  Progress is relative.

3. This week Bishop Thomas Shaw of Massachusetts instructed clergy that they may  "solemnize marriages for all eligible couples, beginning Advent I.  Solemnization, in accordance with Massachusetts law, includes hearing the declaration of consent, pronouncing the marriage and signing the marriage certificate." All eligible couples, according to Bishop Shaw, includes same-sex couples.


4. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued a statement expressing concern about the pending Ugandan legislation to present the death penalty for LGBT people.  I can hope that other major religions will release similar documents.

Bottom line? We need more condamnation, both publicly and in one-on-one diplomacy, to bring the world's attention to this possible "gay genocide."  And we need to remember that not ALL churches are complacent at best, and supportive if this sort of policy at worst.