As we approach the nativity of Christ, we need to remember the admonition of the angels to the shepherds: “Be not afraid.”The Episcopal Church, a member of the Anglican Communion, for more than the past 30 years has been working on gradual, full incorporation of gay and lesbian people. We have worked to be people of gracious restraint for all these years and have now come to a place in our lives that is normal evolutionary change which compels us to move from tolerance to full inclusion.
As with racial and cultural divides, we can look to the great words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who calls us not to fall prey to the insidious drug of gradualism. Indeed, as he said in his speech titled “I Have a Dream”: “This is no time…to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism…. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”
We must move forward and respect the dignity of all human beings which is called for in our Baptismal Covenant and canons.
The Diocese of Los Angeles has acted in good faith and is moving forward in supporting the full inclusion and full humanity of all people in the Church. Thus, we celebrate the elections of Diane Jardine Bruce and Mary Douglas Glasspool as our next Bishops Suffragan called to share in the work of a strong episcopal team serving this Diocese and all of God’s people.
The Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, Bishop Diocesan
3 comments:
I celebrate with you!
Bishop Bruno rocks!
Once again Susan you (I know you are quoting Bruno, but since you are quoting him favourably I assume you agree with his argument and exegesis) have taken one small phrase out of the Bible, taken it out of context and applied it to us inappropriately, in a way never intended by the original authors (God and Luke) Could you please explain to me how the words of the angels to the shepherds exhorting them not to be afraid on account of them being confronted with the glory of the Lord shining around them, is meant to be applied to the church being unafraid to do things which are prohibited in the Bible or endorse behaviours which are called abominable in the Bible. I await with bated breathe when you are going to use Jesus words to Judas - "What you are going to do, do quickly", as an explicit command from our Lord for us to launch ourselves headlong into sin.
The GLBT lobby group has been very good at applying the tranquilizing drug of gradualism to ECUSA to achieve its goals, and yet it rejects the same drug for self application? Perhaps because it knows how toxic that drug is.
And I wonder how Martin Luther would feel about his words originally intended to be applied to the elimination of racism being used for the purpose of calling for the abandonment of Biblical standards to discern appropriate persons for ordained and episcopal ministry?
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