An Inch At A Time: Reflections on the Journey: The Arc Doesn't Bend Itself: The Struggle Continues for LGBTQ Equity in the Church

Saturday, January 21, 2023

The Arc Doesn't Bend Itself: The Struggle Continues for LGBTQ Equity in the Church

So if you're following the debate across the pond in the CofE over blessings, marriage and whether or not LGBTQ people should be fully included in the Body of Christ (spoiler: not quite "there" yet!) just a little contextual reminder that way back in 1997 the Episcopal Church adopted Resolution D011, issuing a formal apology to "lesbians and gay men" for "years of maltreatment and rejection by the Church" and vowed to "seek amendment of our life together as we ask God's help in sharing the Good News with all people."
And it still took until 2015 to amend our canons on marriage and approve liturgies for equal use by same and opposite sex couples. And there are still a handful of dioceses where same-sex couples have to jump through hoops their opposite-sex siblings do not -- so we are not done yet.

The arc of history is long and it bends toward justice/inclusion ... but it doesn't bend itself. The journey continues. The struggle continues. And we will overcome. Hats off to all who are engaging "Mother Church" in the good fight. La lucha continua. And we are in it to win it ... together!
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NYT Report: Church of England Will Bless Same-Sex Couples, but Won’t Marry Them

Image: Post-2015 TEC Marriage Register updated to comply with church canons describing marriage as "between two persons."

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... where I try to be really clear about what I'm clear about. For example:

Religious persecution is when you're prevented from exercising your beliefs, not when you're prevented from IMPOSING your beliefs.

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Using "biblical standards" to condemn those who understand that sexual orientation is morally neutral makes as much sense as using "biblical standards" to condemn astronomers who understand that the earth revolves around the sun. The Bible may have said it but that doesn't always settle it.

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It's liberty and justice for all -- not some. It's respect the dignity of every human being -- not just straight ones. Got it? Great. Let's do it.

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In order to keep moving forward toward liberty and justice for all we can't just be right about what the 1st Amendment protects. We have to be smart about how we respond to those who skipped the 9th Commandment and think lying is a Traditional Family Value.

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Jesus said "Love your neighbor." Not "Love your neighbor unless your neighbor is gay."

Smart things other people have said you should know about

“Faith in action is called politics. Spirituality without action is fruitless and social action without spirituality is heartless. We are boldly political without being partisan. Having a partisan-free place to stand liberates the religious patriot to see clearly, speak courageously, and act daringly.” -- Ed Bacon

“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"It's time for "tolerant" religious people to acknowledge the straight line between the official anti-gay theologies of their denominations and the deaths of these young people. Nothing short of changing our theology of human sexuality will save these young and precious lives." -- The Rt Rev Gene Robinson

"How can you initiate someone into the Body of Christ and then treat them like they’re half-assed baptized?" - The Rt Rev Barbara Harris

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ~ Elie Wiesel, 1986 Nobel Peace Prize

"Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these." — Siddhārtha Gautama

"I'm so glad Mary didn't wait for the formulation of a Doctrine of the Incarnation before she said 'Yes' to God." -- Ed Bacon

"The great Easter truth is not that we will be born again someday but that we are to be alive here and now by the power of the resurrection." -- Philips Brooks (paraphrase)

"History belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being.” -- Walter Wink

“Patience, a quality of holiness may be sloth in the soul when associated with the lack of righteous indignation.” -- Abraham Heschel

"Don't tell me what you believe. Tell me what difference it makes that you believe!" -- Verna Dozier

“We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief. Nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief. At the same time as our constitution prohibits state religion, establishment of it protects the free exercise of all religions. And walking this fine line requires government to be strictly neutral.” -- Ronald Reagan

Let's be clear. The fact that the State authorizes a marriage in no way compels any Church to perform or recognize it. Marriage equality merely guarantees equality under the law to all citizens; it does not compel churches to do anything.-- Katherine Ragsdale