Thoughts for Episcopalians
as they celebrate the consecration of Gene Robinson

    We celebrate with the Episcopal Church as it prepares to consecrate the Reverend Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire on November 2, 2003.  Fr. Gene is openly gay and lives with his husband of many years.  Gene is certainly not the first gay Episcopal bishop, and is not the first openly gay person to be consecrated bishop.  However, he is the first man married to another man to be consecrated bishop in a major denomination.  The national and international attention this action is receiving may well be a turning point in the history of the Christian Church, enabling us once and forever to put behind us the narrow and pharasaical approach to Scripture that some have selectively applied only to matters of sexuality.  The fight will not end here, but the truth of God will forever march forward and the Church will surely be a better place because of this event.

    Although the Episcopal Church has been a leader among the mainline denominations on issues of equality, it is often held back by the lack of uniformity caused by its blend of democracy and hierarchy.  There are Episcopal parishes where the rectors have been doing gay weddings for twenty years or more.  Within the same diocese there might be a parish with a rabidly homophobic rector.  Even before the vote of Gene's ratification, there were threats from the negative side that Gene's consecration would cause schism.  While these threats rarely materialize to the extent portended, they do represent lack of conviction and fear of growth.  On the other side, one cannot help but wonder if perhaps the Episcopal Church would be better equipped to speak out the prophetic voice of God if these "conservatives" did leave and form their own denomination, enabling the life-giving change of the Holy Spirit to flow from Canterbury to the rest of Christendom.

    Dioceses and parishes have been talking of withholding money from the national church.  We strongly encourage every Episcopalian living in such a parish or diocese to use the same strategy.  If your parish or diocese withholds its tithes because of this issue, divert your pledge from your parish directly to the national church.  We suggest you send your checks to:

        The Episcopal Church
        815 Second Avenue
        New York, NY  10017

And make sure you tell your parish and/or diocesan treasurer you will do this until they continue their obligation to support the national organization. 

    We also believe people should be accountable for their votes.  Below is a list of the dioceses of the Episcopal Church and how their various sections voted on the ratification of Gene's consecration.  The General Convention of the Episcopal Church consists of two houses -- the bishops and the deputies.  Both houses vote separately to pass any legislation, much like the Senate and House of the U.S. government.  The deputies consist of laypeople and clergy elected to represent their dioceses.  In some cases, as in this case, they can vote separately by order (clergy or lay).  In this vote, only the diocesan bishops voted.  Suffragans, assistants, and retired bishops did not. 

    The table shows how the three groups voted for each diocese.  The green shade indicates a positive vote and the red a negative vote.  Yellow indicates mixed results (individual delegates can vote differently from their colleagues from their own diocese).  If your diocese or bishop is coded red, you should look out for future problems.  Watch closely and make your voice of disapproval known.  Write to your bishop and delegates and tell them you are unhappy that they did not support this step forward in the Church's life. 

    If your bishop voted "Yes," take the time to right a thank-you note.  When the detractors become vocal (as fundamentalists and their like are known to do), your bishops will be happy to know that parishioners, as well as good conscience, are on their side.

    Also write a thank-you note to Frank Griswold, the presiding bishop.  Notice that as bishop of the churches in Europe he got to vote in this important decision and that he voted "yes."  He has a rocking boat to steer forward in the next few months, and he will need to know your good thoughts and prayers, too.