Friday February 24, 2006 SGN.org |
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Volume 34 Issue 08 |
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Thursday, Mar 18, 2010
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Letters |
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| LOCAL EPISCOPAL DEAN
CANDIDATE FOR BISHOP
Dear SGN, Integrity is pleased by the wonderful diversity of the nominees for the next bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California-including both a Gay man (the Very Rev. Robert Taylor) and a Lesbian woman (the Rev. Bonnie Perry). It was inevitable that another Gay/Lesbian person would eventually be nominated to the episcopacy. Whether or not Robert or Bonnie is elected by the Diocese of California, it is inevitable that another Gay/Lesbian person WILL eventually be elected, confirmed, and consecrated to that order of ministry as the Episcopal Church continues to live into its call to fully include all of the baptized into the Body of Christ. The job of the diocesan search committee was to nominate the best possible candidates-and they have certainly done so. All of the nominees are well qualified to be a bishop. The awesome task now before the convention of the Diocese of California is to choose the right person from among the nominees to be their bishop. They must elect a bishop whom they believe will best meet the needs of their diocese in the coming years. Regardless who is elected to be the Bishop of the Diocese of California, it will be the responsibility of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church to give or withhold consent to that election when it meets this June in Columbus. As it has in the past, Integrity expects General Convention to follow canonical procedures to the letter-giving consent to the bishop-elect if there is no justifiable impediment to his/her consecration. The canons clearly state that, "No one shall be denied rights, status or access to an equal place in the life, worship, and governance of this Church because of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disabilities or age." We realize that some of our brothers and sisters in other provinces of the Anglican Communion will be dismayed by Robert and Bonnie's nomination and, perhaps, regard it as deliberate disregard for the Windsor Report. However, it must be remembered that the Windsor Report is a set of recommendations with no binding authority. Both the Diocese of California and the Episcopal Church must discern and obey the will of God as faithfully as they know how-even if doing so in not consonant with the understanding of other members of our communion. Sincerely, (The Reverend) Susan Russell President Doug Ball Executive Secretary HISTORIC VOTE ON COUNTY LOGO Dear SGN, I really need your support! The King County Council will be voting on an ordinance I am sponsoring, which will change our County logo from an imperial crown to an image of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This change will finally give respect and visibility to the fact that our County's namesake is Dr. King. I am hoping that you can take a little time out of your busy schedule to come downtown and support and witness this historic vote. The Council will take this ordinance up during its afternoon schedule on Monday, February 27, 2006 in Council Chambers (10th Floor of the King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave., Seattle). It will be on the agenda for discussion and possible action at 2:30 PM, so please arrive no later than 2:30 PM. Finally, please forward this email to others whom you think might be willing to come and/or help build support for this important meeting on Monday, February 27th. Thanks in advance for your willingness to show up and help mobilize for this important Council meeting. Should you have any questions, please contact Nick Allen, my legislative aide, at 206-296-0321. Sincerely, Larry Gossett King County Councilmember TO BE GAY AND CATHOLIC It is becoming more problematic to be both Gay and Catholic. On the one hand you have a Church that condemns GLBT people at the drop of hat. On the other hand you have certain parts of the GLBT Community who think it is not ethical for GLBT people to be Catholic. The recent Vatican Instruction on Gay Priests was not a doctrinal statement about the moral status of homosexuality, but rather a prudential judgment about who should be admitted to seminaries. Prudential judgments are by definition open to question. However, rhetorically the Vatican can punch, and has been known to use its elbows and the occasional low blow in the clinches. Certainly one cannot read this document and arrive at any other conclusion than it is a mean spirited, and a homophobic document. A recent article by a syndicated Gay columnist pretty much sums up the other side of this coin. We should out any clerics we can, that way we will force them to support Gay rights or be seen as hypocrites. In striking out at the Vatican I think it is important not strike out at GLBT Catholics in the process. The syndicated columnist engaged in what borders on an irrational attack on Gay priests. Such an attack also denies the ability of GLBT Catholics to trust their own moral experience when it comes to assenting or dissenting as matter of conscience on current Church's positions. My issue is not with the syndicated columnist. I think he has every right to express his opinion in an uncensored manner; rather my concern is with balance. None of the Gay Media that ran this syndicated journalist column made room for a GLBT Catholic response in their letters to the editor, however, other members of the Gay media and straight media did print our response. My point is not to attack the syndicated columnist who wrote the article, but to raise the issue of fairness and balance in the Gay Media when dealing with the issue GLBT Catholics. Many GLBT Catholics stay in the Church because of their deep love for their parish communities, and do challenge homophobia in the Church through debate. The debate, is taking place, and Gay Catholics betray no disloyalty or impiety to either the Church or the GLBT Community by participating, and remaining with in the Church. Sincerely Yours, Joe Murray US Convener Rainbow Sash Movement |
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