Wednesday, March 12, 2008

INTEGRITY RESPONDS ...

... to Bishop Robinson's Exclusion



Integrity expresses its profound disappointment and anger that the Archbishop of Canterbury has failed to find a way for the Rt. Rev. Gene Robison to meaningfully participate in the Lambeth Conference. The Rev. Susan Russell, President of Integrity, said, "Bishop Robinson's marginalization is symbolic of the discrimination experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faithful daily throughout the Anglican Communion. It runs completely contrary to the promise made at the last Lambeth Conference 'to listen to the experience of homosexual persons' (see Lambeth 1998 Resolution 1.10.) making a travesty of the so-called 'Listening Process.'"

Russell added, "Integrity completely supports Bishop Robinson's call for other U.S. bishops to attend the Lambeth Conference despite his exclusion -- and we challenge them to speak not only for him, but for the LGBT faithful throughout the Anglican Communion who will have no voice in Canterbury. Integrity will be consulting with a number of progressive bishops on how to best offer that witness."

Russell concluded by saying, "Integrity continues to prepare for our Lambeth Conference witness with our global Anglican allies. We will be there in numbers and we look forward to the opportunity to claim God's justice and proclaim Christ's love."

(See Canterbury Campaign for more information.)

4 comments:

RonF said...

It runs completely contrary to the promise made at the last Lambeth Conference 'to listen to the experience of homosexual persons' (see Lambeth 1998 Resolution 1.10.) making a travesty of the so-called 'Listening Process.'"

Has it ever occurred to anyone that people HAVE been listening over the last 10 years and have simply decided that you're wrong? Or does it only count as listening if they agree with you?

SUSAN RUSSELL said...

Actually, Ron, the contrary seems to be true.

In the places where there has been an intentional effort to listen to the witness of the LGBT faithful there seems not to be the same hell-bent-for-schism ethos in operation as there is in those places where the term "LGBT faithful" is regarded as an oxymoron.

No one ... repeat for emphasis ... NO ONE ... is defining listening as agreeing. (Homework assignment for those who still don't "get" that part is to re-read Michael Hopkins' 2002 Message to the Church.)

uffda51 said...

Ronf, since we are asking blunt questions, is it just possible that you could be wrong?

The listening process is working, as documentaries such as “For the Bible Tells Me So” and Susan and Louise’s own “Voices of Witness,” and the ordination of Gene Robinson attest.

Manny Publius said...

It hurts to listen when someone is trying to tell me I could just be straight if I wanted to be. I hurts to listen when others speak to the stereotype they see because they don't want to get to know the person I am. It hurts when I am told it is an oxymoron to call myself a gay Christian because gays are not Christians and Christians are not gay. It hurts when I hear any stereotype (last Monday it was a cryptic remark about Danes...what did they ever do?) because that is when I know no one wants to listen to me. I listen but I am not listened to. I am the stereotype and not the person. Every once in a while that dynamic changes and I have actual conversations that matter for something. I listen for the every once in a while but it still hurts to listen!