Saturday, December 05, 2009

Initial reflection on L.A. Bishop elections

Remember "standing in the crucified place?"

Today the Diocese of Los Angeles moved to the resurrection place when we made history by electing not one but two women bishops.

The big news for many will be that one of those women is a partnered lesbian.
.
But the bigger news for me was that my church has actually become a place where candidates for bishop are evaluated on who they are, not on who they love -- on the quality of their character, not on the orientation of their sexuality -- on the gifts they bring to the church, not on the threats others make to leave the church.

These elections are good news to anyone who cares about justice, compassion, equality and inclusion as core moral values. Mary Glasspool will make an AMAZING bishop ... as will Diane Bruce.

And as a Diocese of Los Angeles native who grew up in a church where I wasn't allowed to be an acolyte because I was a girl this weekend's actions by my church are nothing short of miraculous.

Some will ask what message we are sending the rest of the Communion and my answer is that this is what the church looks like when it gets past the inclusion wars and quits allowing differences like gender, ethnicity, orientation or identity divide us.

It's a great day to be an Episcopalian! And I've never been prouder to be from the Diocese of Los Angeles!

More later but here are a few photos ... in a word:

3 comments:

SCG said...

I'm really happy for her, for the Diocese of LA, for the Episcopal Church, and for the future of us as God's people in the world. Congratulations!

Fr Craig said...

alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Re: the rest of the communion, frankly - I don't give a damn

Ann said...

What a great slideshow and how can the ABC have a statement denying joy and life within hours - while Uganda threatens nothing but death and prison to our sisters and brothers.