At Work in the Fields of the Lord! (AKA Gay Pride L.A.)

Thanks to the great work of an amazing cloud of witnesses we are ready to rock and roll at the L.A. Pride Festival again this year! Here's a look at the just-opened booth at the festival ... and nearly all the ducks are in a row for tomorrow's Eucharist and Parade.

If you want to take a look down "memory lane" here are photos from years back ... Enjoy! (And join us tomorrow as we make some more Gay Pride History!)

Reflections on "Out of the Box," Dissonance and Anglican Comprehensiveness

"Voices of Witness: Out of the Box" debuted a week-ago-tomorrow and has already racked up over 3000 views on IntegriTV's YouTube Channel -- and is "in the mail" via DVD to every bishop and deputy to General Convention. And a study guide is Coming Soon to the Integrity website ... here's the page to bookmark.

If you've not watched it yet, of course you'll want to go right now and see for yourself. But first, check out what viewers are saying about the groundbreaking documentary giving voice to the witness of transgender Episcopalians:

Fiercely, beautifully, compelling. Enlightening and comforting to ALL of us who need to courageously live into our true selves, whoever that is and wherever that takes us. - Sharyn D, Los Angeles CA

Powerful, heartfelt and beautifully done. Thanks for this blessed gift. – Donna M, Pasadena CA

Someone at my parish told me during coffee hour today how much they loved this film and how proud it made them feel to be part of the Episcopal Church! I hope to share it widely here in Oregon, I think it might be especially useful for clergy.—Andy M, Portland OR

Just watched it -- so terribly impressed -- thanks to all who made this film possible -- As a form LCMS Minister of Education I was especially impressed with the priest who left the LCMS and who spoke so clearly about God's love for us all. – William R, Washington DC

Gripping, heart- wrenching, challenging.... Outstanding! – Ann R, Alexandria VA

Moving, thoughtful, and the humanity of transgender people shines through every frame. This is a wonderful tool to educate all about a subject that is so misunderstood and feared. Great work!!! -- Bill B, Los Angeles CA

And as seen on twitter: "awesome, inspiring, powerful, needed, feeling called to replicate this in Jamaica."

Of course, there are dissenting voices. (After all, this IS [a] America and [b] The Episcopal Church.) I was intrigued by one of those ... Kendall Harmon over at Titusonenine ... not because he has another perspective (which of course I expect) but the way he chose to frame this introduction to the piece on his blog.

Entitled A new Video on Transgenderism put together by TEC Reappraisers to be shown at G. Convention 2012 he introduces the discussion with this disclaimer:

This is an important video because it represents the prevailing theology among the TEC elite. It is something you need to be aware of as illustrated by the fact that it is planning on being screened at General Convention 2012, and that it contains two members of the House of Bishops in its content. You, however, need to make your own decisions about whether to view it since the theology advocated will cause major dissonance--KSH.

Wow! Just "Wow!"You'd think after all these years I'd be past the point of being flummoxed what comes from the Titusonenine side the aisle but I have to admit -- they got me again! Seriously.

The idea that theological "dissonance" requires what amounts to A Warning Label is ironically antithetical to just about everything I was raised to understand was uniquely Anglican about being Anglican -- especially the gifted ability to hold in tension seemingly irreconcilable "dissonances" -- Protestant/Catholic come to mind just for starters.

Try as I may to wrap my brain around what lies behind a disclaimer that urges caution in viewing an alternative theological perspective 'since the theology advocated will cause major dissonance' all I can come up with is Henri Nouwen's "house of fear." Dissonance (according to Merriam Webster) is defined as

1 : lack of agreement;
2 : a clashing or unresolved musical interval or chord

So if there's no place for lack of agreement in conversation with each other there's no actual conversation. And if there's no place for clashing or unresolved musical intervals or chords then there's no actual music. Or at least nothing I'd consider worth listening to.

Isn't the "dissonance" of the voices of those with whom we disagree most often the ones who challenge us to grow and change? And aren't the "dissonances" of clashing or unresolved musical intervals exactly what make great musical moments great?

Of course I could go on and on but I have other work to get to and -- at the end of the day -- I guess I've talked myself out of being flummoxed. Kendall represents a cadre of folks -- bless their hearts -- whose criterion for being included is being agreed with. We've lived in that tension -- that dissonance -- for years and now that the Episcopal Church has pretty definitively come down on the side of historic Anglican comprehensiveness our mission is to move forward with those who are ready to claim, proclaim and celebrate that. And if others can't live with the "dissonance" then there it is.

Nevertheless, it (dare I say it?) .... Makes the Heart Sad.

Do Senate Republicans think they're in an episode of "Mad Men" for heaven's sake?

Come ON People! It's freakin' TWO THOUSAND AND TWELVE!! How can we even be DEBATING equal-pay-for-equal-work-for-women!! SERIOUSLY!

From the AP report: "The bill would have strengthened the 1963 Equal Pay Act by requiring employers to justify pay differences between genders, and making it illegal for bosses to retaliate against subordinates who share salary information with co-workers. Women are paid 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. That's an improvement from 1963, when they earned 59 cents for every dollar, but America can do better, said Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa."

Ya think? Ya really THINK????? Here's what Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) had to say:

BREAKING PROP 8 NEWS: 9th Circuit Court Kicks Case to Supremes

Marriage equality is 3 for 3 in the courts with today's 9th Circuit Court denial of an en banc rehearing in the case.

What next??? From Prop 8 Trial Tracker:

Now that en banc rehearing was denied, the proponents have 90 days to file a petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court, seeking review of the decision striking down Proposition 8. It’s likely that Justices at the Supreme Court would have their conference to take up the petition and decide whether to grant review or not sometime after their summer break in October. Oral argument would follow a few months later, and then a final decision would be issued by June or July 2013.

No one is certain if the Supreme Court would grant review of the case as it currently stands. Judge Reinhardt’s opinion for the three-judge Ninth Circuit panel is very narrow and the holding is specific to California’s unique legal circumstances. A denial of rehearing in this case leaves the decision California-specific and there may not be four Justices – the number needed to grant certiorari – who want to visit an issue that’s so limited in scope. On the other hand, the panel’s decision did strike down an amendment to a constitution of an enormous state involving a contentious issue. And allowing gay couples to marry in California would nearly double the amount of people in the United States who live in an area that allows same-sex marriage.

That's what the Prop8 Trial Tracker folks had to say. Here's what I had to say:

Today’s ruling by the 9^th Circuit Court moves us another step closer to restoring marriage equality in California. Here at All Saints Church in Pasadena we would be delighted if the injunction was lifted so that we could once again equally offer God’s blessing and civil protections to all the couples in our congregation. June, after all, is the quintessential month for weddings and we would be thrilled to be back on the right side of history in struggle for marriage equality sooner rather than later. Whenever the decision for equality comes, however, we are convinced it will come because we trust that the arc of history does bend toward inclusion – and believe that today’s court decision helped bend that arc just a little closer toward ending the shameful chapter of discrimination against same-sex marriage in California.

Stay tuned.

Pray for Peace and Stand for Justice.

Q&A x 10: Top Ten Questions to Answer @ Gay Pride

Have I mentioned lately that I love what I do? I love that part of my job is to answer questions about Jesus -- about the Bible -- about the Episcopal Church -- about Jesus and gay people and the Episcopal Church. You get my drift. Anyway, in preparation for our L.A. Pride Festival this weekend, the brilliant, fabulous, thorough folks putting together the materials for our booth at the festival came up the following ten "frequently asked questions" and asked me to give them my best shot.
So here you go: Susan Russell's Top Ten Questions to Answer @ Gay Pride

1. Is being gay a sin?

No. We believe that sexual orientation is morally neutral. Sins are acts that separate us from God and keep us from loving our neighbors as ourselves. Being gay is not a sin. Bullying is a sin. Being hateful to other people is a sin. Putting yourself in the place of God to judge others is a sin. Being gay is not.

2. What did Jesus say about gay people?

Jesus said the same thing about gay people as he said about all people: God loves you beyond your wildest imagining and calls you to walk in love with God and with each other. He also said a whole lot about loving your neighbor, welcoming the stranger, embracing the outcast and ministering to the marginalized.

3. Does the Bible really condemn homosexuality?

The short answer is no; no it does not. The handful of passages in the Old and New Testaments that talk about God condemning specific sexual acts have nothing whatsoever to do with sexual orientation and instead with contexts such as cultic prostitution or gang rape. To put it another way, using the Bible as a handbook on human sexuality makes as much sense as using it as a handbook on astronomy. Just as those who wrote the Biblical texts couldn’t have imagined the science that would prove the earth actually revolves around the sun, so they had no concept of homosexuality (which wasn’t defined until the 19th century.)

4. How do I respond when people say "God hates "f--s"?

First of all, God’s nature is to love, not to hate. We believe that what God cares about is not our sexual orientation but our theological orientation – and that the question that matters is not “who do you love?” but “do you love?” Recognizing that homophobia causes some folks to project onto God their own fears, prejudices and biases against LGBT people, sometimes the best response is simply no response. It can be a challenge, but getting triggered by hate-mongers prevents us from being the change we want to see.

5. I thought gay men and women weren't allowed to be priests?

The Episcopal Church has been ordaining women to the priesthood since 1974 and we have women deacon, priests and bishops throughout the church – including two women bishops here in the Diocese of Los Angeles. When it comes to gay men in the priesthood, the issue is not homosexuality – it is honesty. The church has ordained gay men for centuries but finally the Episcopal Church added “sexual orientation” in the non-discrimination list in 1994 -- ending our version of “don’t ask/don’t tell.” Because the Episcopal Church allows for diversity of practice, the leadership of “out” LGBT and women clergy is more prevalent in some places than others. But the Diocese of Los Angeles is proud to have been in the forefront of inclusion.

6. Can I still receive Communion if I am gay?

Of course you can. In many of our churches you will hear a variation on the invitation “whoever you are and wherever you find yourself on the journey of faith there is a place for you here.” God’s love is radically inclusive and so is the Episcopal Church.

7. Despite what is happening legislatively, can my partner and I be married in the Episcopal Church yet?

The only accurate answer to this question is “that depends.” It depends on which diocese you’re in and whether you’re in a state that has civil marriage equality. For example, New York State is a marriage equality state. In four of the six dioceses clergy can both solemnize and bless a civil marriage and in one of them clergy can bless but not solemnize (a judge or justice of the peace has to do the civil marriage part). Here in Los Angeles clergy both blessed and solemnized same-sex marriages in 2008 when it was legal and our bishops have been in the forefront of working to overturn Prop 8 and get marriage equality back. As Facebook might put it: “it’s complicated.”

8. What do I tell people when they say being gay is a sin and a choice?

Tell them that Jesus said absolutely nothing about being gay but he said a lot of things about judging other people. Then tell them that while there is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation there IS consensus that sexuality is a continuum. So the “choice” is not to be gay, straight or somewhere in between – the “choice” is to build our own healthy relationships … and give other people the grace to build theirs.

9. Should I try to "pray away the gay?"

No. If you need to pray away something, pray away homophobia. Homosexuality doesn’t need healing. Homophobia does.

10. How do I respond when politicians condemn my sexuality, citing their belief in the Bible?

Remind them that the First Amendment protects them in believing whatever they want to about what God does or does not bless but it also prohibits them from using those beliefs to decide who the Constitution protects or doesn’t protect. Tell them to stop confusing their theology with our democracy. And then campaign for and donate to their opponent in the next election cycle.

BREAKING PROP 8 NEWS: 9th Circuit Court Ruling Due Tomorrow

The tweet from AFER (American Foundation for Equal Rights) came in just a few minutes ago and read:

So what exactly does that mean??? For that we turn to the Courage Campaign's Prop 8 Trial Tracker

Here’s where things stand right now: the Ninth Circuit, in a decision by a three-judge panel has affirmed Judge Walker’s decision striking down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, albeit on narrower grounds than he did. Then, the proponents of Proposition 8 asked the Ninth Circuit for an en banc rehearing, to vacate their decision and put the case before a larger panel of judges on the Ninth Circuit. We have been waiting for the judges to decide whether they will grant the en banc rehearing and start the whole process over, or let the three-judge panel’s decision written by Judge Reinhardt stand.

Tomorrow, we will likely find out what the judges decided regarding the en banc hearing. If they voted to rehear the case, the current narrowly-written decision by Judge Reinhardt goes away and a new panel will convene, featuring a random selection of ten judges with the addition of Chief Judge Kozinski overseeing the proceedings. There would be new briefings and oral arguments in the case at that point, so the process would be long and drawn out.

The issues that would be at stake in a new rehearing would be: whether proponents have Article 3 standing as ballot initiative proponents to bring the appeal in the first place, and whether or not Judge Walker’s decision should be affirmed.

If rehearing is granted, the en banc panel could affirm Judge Walker’s decision, or they could reject it on the grounds discussed in Judge Smith’s dissent. After new briefing and new argument and new deliberations over the decision, they would issue a new and final decision in the case that could then result in a petition for certiorari (or ‘review’) at the Supreme Court. Depending on what the final decision ruled, it’s unclear whether the Supreme Court would take up the case or not.

Alternatively, tomorrow the Ninth Circuit could issue an order saying that en banc rehearing was denied. If that happens, Judge Reinhardt’s narrow opinion stands, and the proponents of Proposition 8 can then petition for certiorari at the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court were to deny review, the Ninth Circuit’s decision would stand, and Proposition 8 would be struck down. Gay and lesbian couples would be allowed to marry in California. If the Supreme Court grants review, there will be briefing and oral argument and a decision next year.

Tomorrow, we will have more as soon as the new order is released by the Ninth Circuit.

So stay tuned. We now return to our regularly scheduled Monday. (And if you want to see the AFER graphic ... which is really helpful if you're a "visual learner" ... check it out here.)

Starting out PRIDE Month REALLY Proud ... of "Out of the Box"

It's been a busy June the First here in LaLa Land. Morning was spent down at L.A. City Hall with our Mayor and City Council launching "LGBT Heritage Month" -- giving awards to youth participants in the LGBT creative writing contest, listening to some of the history of L.A.'s role in the Gay Pride Movement and applauding our City Council voting unanimously to support SB1172 which would make California the first state to ban "reparative therapy" for LGBT minors. (see also: I LOVE L.A.!)

MEANWHILE the other big June 1st news was the release of "Voices of Witness: Out of the Box" -- the documentary project giving voice to the witness of transgender Episcopalians that I watched being shot in the Learning Center-turned-studio at All Saints Church and being edited in my study-turned-edit bay here at home.

It. Is. Brilliant. And I'm not just saying that because my wife produced it and our filmmaker friend Douglas Hunter directed and edited it. Seriously. It. Is. Brilliant.

Here's just ONE of the email "reviews" I got from the folks we sent it to preview just before release:

Fiercely, beautifully, compelling. Enlightening and comforting to ALL of us, even us heteros, who need to courageously live into our true selves, whoever that is and wherever that takes us.

Here's from the press release Integrity sent out for the launch:

Integrity marks the beginning of Pride Month with the June 1st release of "Voices of Witness: Out of the Box" – the groundbreaking documentary giving voice to the witness of transgender people of faith. Courageously inviting the viewer into their journeys, the film is ultimately a celebration of hope and the power of God's love to transcend even seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Produced by Integrity’s Communication Director (and my wife!) Louise Brooks, the film is being offered as a gift to the Episcopal Church as a resource for both teaching and transformation.

"Gender identity and gender expression are issues that can easily be misunderstood and cannot be wrapped up in a neat little box. So the goal of “Out of the Box” was to answer some of the most frequently asked questions and we have been blessed by a truly amazing cloud of witnesses who shared their stories and their lives with us. It has been a privilege to work with them to take this project from a dream to a reality as we offer their voices of witness to the church and to the world.” -- Louise Brooks, Executive Producer

"I believe God is calling us into this conversation now,” said New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, one of the voices featured in the project. “It is an opportunity to get to understand another part of God's never-ending diversity and another way to live into our baptismal calling to love all God's children."

The third in the Voices of Witness series, “Out of the Box” was released on the IntegriTV YouTube Channel today. It will also be distributed to every bishop and deputation prior to the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church along with a study guide written by the Rev. Gary Hall.

So now ... without further ado ... I give you (Proudly!) "Voices of Witness: Out of the Box:"



[PS -- Be sure to go check out the comments on the YouTube page.]