The Vatican’s Bid for Breakaway Anglicans
October 30, 2009
Many Catholics are becoming more vocal about their support for marriage equality as evidenced in “No on 1 ads” and the organizing efforts in Maine. The Pope and Vatican leaders, on the other hand, raised eyebrows and hackles in its recent bid to persuade conservative, breakaway Anglicans to become Catholics on the basis of their shared ordination ban for women and LGBT people.
At a news conference on Oct. 20, Cardinal William J. Levada from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced that joining Anglicans would retain many of their traditions while still entering in “full communion with the Catholic Church.”
The Vatican stresses it was responding to requests from more conservative Anglicans from around the world and in no way meant to undermine Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams leadership. But what seemed like a simple ecumenical invitation has problems—even for conservatives.
More progressive Episcopalians noted that the door swings both ways and told a reporter from The Baltimore Sun that three former Roman Catholic clergy have recently joined the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton pointed out that many converts to the Episcopal Church are laypeople from the Catholic Church who are looking for a church moving in a more open and affirming direction.
Conservative Episcopalians who broke away tend to agree with the Roman Catholic hierarchy on barring women and LGBT people from the priesthood, but the historical tension between the Anglican Communion and the Vatican is still very much present. The split between Catholics and Anglicans happened in the 16th century, when King Henry VIII declared himself head of the Church in England. The Vatican has yet to lay out a plan for addressing central theological differences such as papal authority and the meaning of the Eucharist.
Meanwhile, news outlets such as USA Today and the Boston Globe report uncertainty from breakaway clergy and congregations in regards to the Vatican’s invitation. According to USA Today, one of the major deal breakers is the celibacy requirement for Catholic priests. Since the 1980’s, after women were first ordained in the Episcopal Church, some married Anglican clergy were allowed to convert to Catholicism and continue on as active priests.
Cardinal Levada said the celibacy waiver would apply to priests but not bishops nor future candidates for ordination. Levada acknowledged potential problems still remain. According to Times Online, the Apostolic Constitution, which will lay out the conditions for the new “Anglo-Catholic section of the Church,” is not ready for publication—despite the announced invitation.
There are also unanswered questions about what will happen to property of the breakaway congregations and whether or not the Roman Catholic Church would have a claim on them. The property battles could be huge and The Episcopal Church already has too many property law suits with congregations that broke away over openly gay bishops.
The Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer, a guest on the Steven Colbert Show, expressed concern that the church was trying to compensate for the increase of closed parishes and the decrease of men going into the priesthood. Despite Colbert’s comic approach, the conversation raised the important question of whether or not an invitation to membership should be based on who is excluded.
Sea Change in the Churches
September 24, 2009
Back in June, we published a round up of LGBT issues on the docket for a cluster of denominations. The result was a sea change in the churches. Here are the exciting results:
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA
The Presbyterian Church USA led the way this summer as it voted on a constitutional amendment on ordination equality. Ratification by the required half of the 173 regional presbyteries was not expected so LGBT faith leaders worked with GLAAD to keep the focus on “growing support.” Early in the voting, regions like North Carolina, Alabama, Texas and Arkansas voted for equality. GLAAD helped LGBT Presbyterians blast an early media release through Religion News Service which laid emphasized messages of “growing support” and “churches are changing” to shape coverage of all LGBT church stories. When the vote was final, four LGBT Presbyterian groups worked with GLAAD on a media release. The Associated Press carried the “change” message nationwide.
MENNONITE CHURCH
Young LGBT and allied Mennonites made national news for the first time ever as they protested anti-LGBT policies and practices in the Mennonite Church. GLAAD helped young and old alike to get their voices into media. Wearing pink and prepped with talking points, young people expertly used the media to tell the Mennonite Church USA Assembly, June 30 – July 5, in Columbus, Ohio, that youth are leaving the church because of discrimination against LGBT church members. Hundreds of Mennonite pastors signed an open letter calling Mennonites to heal the harm done to LGBT people.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
In July, bishops and elected deputies gathered for the Episcopal Church’s triennial General Convention in Anaheim, California, where they bravely moved forward, despite high-profile opposition, to approve a resolution to officially allow ordination of gay and lesbian priests. They affirmed that God could call anyone to ordination, including people in same-sex marriages or partnerships. Shortly after the ban was lifted, two Episcopal dioceses announced the nomination of openly gay and lesbian priests for bishop. The Convention also recognized transgender rights and inclusion, and delegated the task of proposing blessing rites for same sex-couples.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
The watershed event of the summer was when the mother church of Protestantism, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, voted for inclusion at their biennial Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis on August 17-23. After decades of struggle, the body was ready to vote on an inclusive Social Statement on Human Sexuality as well as ministry policies that allow clergy to be in committed same-sex partnerships. After defeating an attempt to change the voting rules, the body took on the Social Statement on Human Sexuality. For passage it required 2/3 of the 1000 plus voting delegates to support it. When the electronic vote was projected, people gasped. The vote was precisely 66.67%. Expert long-term strategies by the LGBT Lutheran coalition combined with GLAAD’s spokesperson training and media pitching helped bring about these mounmental changes. When the third and final vote was taken on LGBT concerns, the ELCA put the icing on the cake by dropping the celibacy requirement for gay clergy and allowing clergy to be in same-sex unions. Change happened!
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
The United Church of Christ, the first mainline denomination to support full equality for LGBT people, held its General Synod in June. At the weeklong event, UCC representatives approved a resolution to support diversity education in public schools and to encourage other denominations to build ecumenical support for basic respect for all people, including LGBT individuals and families.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
The Unitarian Universalist United Nations office, which now has a staff person designated for sexual orientation and gender identity work, initiated an action of immediate witness against the ongoing violence targeting gay men and lesbians in Iraq. With hundreds of victims in recent years, the church is raising awareness and actively encourages advocacy on the issue.
Lutherans Change Policy—Affirm Partnered Gay Ministers
August 21, 2009
Lutherans, the very first Protestant tradition, founded in the 1500’s, voted to lift the ban on partnered gay clergy on Friday, August 21, 2009. The week of deliberations included a tornado that damaged the convention center in Minneapolis and extensive debate, prayers and conversation.
Meeting August 17-23, the body considered a range of legislation affecting the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. On LGBT issues, the results were historic. At three critical points, delegates chose the next step toward full inclusion.
They rejected attempts by conservatives to change the voting rules on the opening night; they passed the Policy Statement on Human Sexuality with a 2/3 vote; and, finally, delegates withstood legislative end runs and voted to allow clergy to be in committed same-gender relationships.
Emily Eastwood, Executive Director of Lutherans Concerned/North America, said “Today I am proud to be a Lutheran. Supporters and advocates of full inclusion have longed for this day since the inception of the ELCA, and for many of us what seemed like a lifetime. The ELCA has always had gay ministers, now those and all ministers are free to claim who they are and to have the love and support of a lifelong partner, regardless of orientation or gender identity, which is all we ever asked.”
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members and now joins the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ as mainline denominations that have moved toward full inclusion in recent years.
GLAAD assisted the LGBT and allied Lutheran spokespeople by pitching the story through the 1800 religion media journalists and outlets of the Religion News Service. GLAAD trained spokespeople were interviewed by the NY Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, LA Times, NPR, Minnesota Public Radio, local radio talk shows and others. Multiple AP articles blanketed the country and repeatedly quoted GLAAD trained Lutheran spokespeople.
Related Posts:Lutherans Pass Policy Statement on Human Sexuality by Supermajority
August 20, 2009
A tornado touched down on the street outside the convention hall where Lutherans were debating whether you could be a biblical Christian and support LGBT couples and their families. Conservative bloggers saw the storm as a dire sign but they ignored the sun breaking through just as the assembly voted for the new Social Policy on Human Sexuality by precisely the 2/3 vote required . As 66.67 to 33.33 percent vote results were posted on the screen, voters and visitors gasped and then burst into applause.
The national meeting for the entire Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is held every two years—this year in Minneapolis, Minn., August 17-23. The new policy, which creates a theological framework allowing for disagreements within the ELCA over sexuality and scripture, replaces a previous statement that was 15 years old.
Lutherans Concerned, an LGBT affirming Lutheran group, sent a press release to 1800 religion writers and associates through the Religion News Service the week before the assembly, resulting in wide media coverage. Key votes throughout the week and GLAAD’s assistance with media strategies and pitching enhanced that effort. Private interviews with GLAAD trained spokespeople were set with the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, Los Angles Times, and others. Related votes will happen on Thursday and Friday.
On Tuesday a devotional booklet, “One Table, Many Blessings,” was released with the names of 95 out LGBT ministers. On Wednesday, a PBS Religion & Ethics reporter interviewed five key LGBT faith leader (airing August 24). Immediately after the vote on the Social Policy on Human Sexuality, PBS filmed the procession of the LGBT coalition’s worship service attended by about 2,000 people. The videographer quipped, “This will be our stock footage of Lutherans worshipping for years to come!”
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members and now joins the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ as mainline denominations that have moved toward full inclusion in recent years. An increasing number clergy, laity and family members are going on record for equality.
Related Posts:Lutherans Pass First Hurdle Toward Partnered LGBT Clergy
August 19, 2009
Lutherans leapt the first hurdle at their biennial policy setting meeting after extensive debate on allowing ministers be in committed same-gender relationships.
Conservatives lobbied hard as they made a motion to raise the percentage required to pass the measures but failed by a large margin. The national meeting for the entire Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is held every two years—this year in Minneapolis, Minn., August 17-23.
Photo Courtesy of ELCA.org
GLAAD staff is on-site as Lutheran LGBT advocates are making the most of media opportunities to expand the impact of their work. The ELCA will vote on a proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality and a Recommendation on Ministry Policies. The policy statement lays the groundwork for all policies on human sexuality.
The Recommendation on Ministry Policies proposes to remove the ban on openly gay clergy by allowing congregations who wish to do so to have a minister who is in a committed, same-gender relationship, while not requiring any congregation to do so.
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members. This year, an increasing number clergy, laity and family members are going on record about the important ministries shared by people who are LGBT who have faced discrimination up to now.
Related Posts:Lutherans Debate Partnered LGBT Clergy
August 12, 2009
Same-gender partners and their families will be front-and-center at the upcoming national meeting where policy for the entire Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is voted on every two years. This year, the body will decide to drop—or keep—the requirement of celibacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender clergy.
Lutheran LGBT advocates are organized and are hopeful in light of The Episcopal Church national meeting where LGBT equality was affirmed, as well as the changing landscape of opinions of mainline clergy who increasingly support LGBT rights.
2007 Churchwide Assembly (Photo Courtesy of ELCA.org)
Meeting in Minneapolis, Minn., August 17-23, the denomination will vote on a range of topics, but the most high-profile is whether or not to lift the ban on ministers who are in same-gender, committed relationships.
Two proposals impact LGBT people: a 30-page, Social Statement on Human Sexuality and a Recommendation on Ministry Policies.
The Social Statement is the theological and teaching document for the ELCA on constructive social relationships and responsibilities. It lays out the range of good faith opinions among Lutherans on same-gender committed relationships and asks the church to agree to disagree while moving forward in hospitality.
The Recommendation on Ministry Policies proposes to remove the ban by allowing congregations who wish to do so to have a minister who is in a committed, same-gender relationship, while not requiring any congregation to do so.
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members. At its 2007 national meeting, 82 ministers came out and introduced themselves and their partners. In response, the body voted to ask bishops to “refrain” from punishing partnered clergy and congregations. Despite this vote, the ban on clergy in partnered same-gender relationships was not changed and the impact of written policies continued to impact many clergy, families and congregations. This year, more clergy, laity and family members are going on record about the important ministries shared by people who are LGBT who have faced discrimination up to now.
When the 82 Lutheran miniters came out in 2007 GLAAD worked closely with Lutherans Concerned, an LGBT affirming Lutheran group, to help those ministers tell their stories effectively in the media.
This year GLAAD is also working with affirming Lutheran’s to ensure that as the ELCA once again takes up the issue of LGBT clergy, those voices will be fairly represented in mainstream coverage of the national meeting. GLAAD has media trained more than twenty top LGBT Lutheran ministers for interviews with USA Today and National Public Radio. And during the convention, GLAAD will be on-site to expand the coalition’s media capacity. Win or lose, the world will know through the media that Lutheran LGBT advocates are challenging the ELCA to take a step toward full equality.
Related Posts:Welton Gaddy Calls for a New National Discussion on Marriage
July 31, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy, president of Interfaith Alliance, set off a firestorm of commentary in the Newsweek-Washington Post, “On Religion” blog, after putting out a call for a new kind of national discussion on extending marriage protections to same-sex couples. The blog post introduces the newly released paper “Same Gender Marriage & Religious Freedom,” wherein Gaddy lays out perspectives on marriage and recommends direction for the future. His first suggestion: leave religion out of it.
Dialogues about religion will not forge national consensus on any sociopolitical issue or serve as a source of national unity. The population of our nation is too diverse and the religions in our nation are too different for that to happen. Individual religious traditions are divided from each other externally and, internally, adherents within each of these traditions are divided from each other.
Citing recent studies that show a range of opinions among clergy and members of evangelical and mainstream churches, Dr. Gaddy suggests that law and not religious views (SHOULD)_be the starting point for any discussion on the government’s regulation of marriage:
Law, not scripture, is the foundation of government regulations related to marriage in our nation. Presently, the United States government recognizes marriage on the basis of a properly authorized, government-issued marriage license.
This Interfaith Alliance paper by Dr Gaddy invites a national conversation on the marriage. He cites Executive Director of Freedom to Marry, Evan Wolfson’s stance that marriage inequality results in second-class citizenship, but is clear that the country should protect the right of religious groups to define marriage for their own members:
All citizens should have equal access to civil marriage and to the benefits of marriage provided for citizens in this government. Couples who desire religious marriage can seek a house of worship in which to receive that blessing. But, as is the case now, no house of worship would be legally obligated to provide marriage for a couple whom it does not want to bless. All houses of worship should be free to advocate for, defend and perpetuate the view of marriage that is consistent with their religious traditions and convictions.
While wanting to sort out religion from government, Dr. Gaddy disagrees with Jonathan Turley in his USAToday op-ed which recommends that all couples have state-sanctioned “civil unions” while religious groups do “marriages.” Gaddy writes, “Civil marriages and religious marriages have existed side by side for an untold number of years. Both…have been respected and treated equally in our society. I see no reason for that situation to change.”
In this effort to invite more conversation Gaddy is hoping for a civil and respectful dialogue. “The subject of marriage equality merits our best thoughts and influential actions as United States citizens, whether or not we are religious people or individuals who adhere to no religion.”
As part of our overall work with communities of faith, GLAAD will continue to stay in regular contact with the Interfaith Alliance to lift up progressive faith voices that promote LGBT equality.
Related Posts:The Episcopal Church Says “YES” to Ordination for Gays
July 16, 2009
On July 14, LGBT leaders in The Episcopal Church proclaimed, ”Amen,” as the decades of struggle of ordination for gay people came to an end. The House of Delegates and the House of Bishops voted to allow ordination of gay and lesbian priests and bishops. All affirmed that God could call to ordination anyone, including people living in a same-sex marriage or partnership.
The Episcopal Church House of Bishops supported inclusion by a 99-45 vote, with two abstentions and it was overwhelmingly ratified by the House of Delegates comprised of laity and priests. The new resolution officially ends a 2006 moratorium on ordaining openly gay bishops. The moratorium was initially meant to halt any further division within the church after the ordination of Gene Robinson but unity was not maintained and no efforts for unity were offered by conservatives.
Earlier this year conservatives, now identifying themselves as the Anglican Church of America and claiming 100,000 followers, abandoned The Episcopal Church while unsuccessfully laying claim to buildings belonging to The Episcopal Church. The group’s leader, Robert Duncan, said that women and gay people are not “capable” of holding the 
office of bishop. The breakaway group is not recognized by the greater Anglican Communion.
One time LGBT supporter, Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, did not support lifting the moratorium, but delegates voted yes on all inclusive resolutions so far. One delegate from Western Massachusetts told the Associated Press that it was the right thing to do, “I personally believe we had to do this. It’s the way we see the Gospel.” Archbishop Williams met with gay and lesbian deputies while at the convention but expressed regret over the decision.
The bishops will vote on resolutions related to blessing same-sex unions, transgender equality and adaptation of theological resources and liturgies to be more inclusive of gay and lesbian couples.
Related Posts:Surveys Reveal More Social Justice Activism in LGBT Inclusive Churches
May 13, 2009
Last month, GLAAD reported on a survey by the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation at Hebrew College and Jewish Mosaic that revealed tremendous support of LGBT people by Jewish rabbis and synagogues.
In recent press releases, the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing and the Institute for Welcoming Resources of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force announced two new surveys which assess the impact of LGBT inclusion on Christian congregations.
The Survey of Religious Progressives published by the Religious Institute and To Do Justice: A Study of Welcoming Congregations by Welcoming Resources reveal that congregations which are welcoming to LGBT people also promote further activism on a wide range of social justice issues.
| The Survey of Religious Progressives received 438 respondents and measured the attitudes and the extent to which clergy and congregations are engaged regarding LGBT inclusion. Sixty-nine percent of the survey respondents self-identify as “progressive” and more than half of the clergy reported that their views on LGBT issues have become more liberal over the last 10 years.
The survey also found that clergy in more inclusive denominations were more likely to march or take a public stance not only for LGBT issues but on a broad range of sexuality issues. |
To Do Justice: A Study of Welcoming Congregations is based on responses from 325 clergy in Christian and Unitarian Universalist congregations. The survey refutes any concerns that inclusion of LGBT would create division and/or membership loss. It found that congregations which fully welcomed and engaged LGBT members are more likely to work on social justice issues.
Furthermore, nearly three-quarters of the respondents disagreed with the statement suggesting that their congregation risked losing members if it talked too much about homosexuality. |
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The Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources recently published a new resource, Building an Inclusive Church: A Welcoming Toolkit, to help congregations welcome people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. The Religious Institute plans to release a similar online guide for clergy in June.
In another press release, The Task Force addressed inclusion in congregations by partnering with Colage and The Family Equality Council to produce a curriculum called All in God’s Family: Creating Allies for our LGBT Families; the first 50 orders are free.
Massachusetts Clergy Debunk Myths
April 29, 2009
The Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA), New York’s statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights advocacy organization, recently released the web video “Marriage Equality and Religion: The Massachusetts Experience.”
ESPA’s “Pride in the Pulpit” staff invited Massachusetts clergy – the Reverend Nancy Taylor of Old South Church; the Reverend Thomas Shaw, Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts; and the Reverend Michael Wayne Walker of Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton – to discuss how laws that require civil marriage equality do not impact each faith tradition’s ability to decide who they will or will not marry.
In a press release, Executive Director Alan Van Capelle stated: “The Empire State Pride Agenda is committed to refuting myths that have been articulated across the country about the consequences of marriage for same-sex couples. This issue is too important for our families and us to let them go unanswered in New York.”
Lutheran Equality-Partnered Gay Clergy Might Be Accepted
April 9, 2009
Recently, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) released the final version of its social statement on human sexuality - “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” - after an eight year process of hearings and revisions overseen by their national Church Council.
Although it is not perfect on LGBT issues, the document recommends acceptance of partnered gay clergy with an opt-out clause for congregations. Blessings or marriage rites for same-sex couples would also be left to congregations.
Nonetheless, opponents of LGBT equality in the ELCA worked hard to create roadblocks, attempting to change the voting rules to increase the percentages needed for final votes at the Churchwide Assembly in late August.
According to the ECLA’s standard voting rules, the social statement requires a two-thirds vote and attendant recommendations require only a majority vote to pass. Opponents of LGBT equality submitted a recommendation to the Church Council, however, asking that a two-thirds majority be required for both the social statement and the attendant recommendations. It was defeated, and the Church Council elected to not alter any current voting procedures.
Outlets like the Christian Science Monitor, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune and The Associated Pressreported that “recommendations” will only require a majority vote. This is technically correct-but reporters should have stated that the whole social statement first requires a two-thirds vote before the attendant recommendations can even be considered. By only reporting that a majority vote is required, it sounds like a reduction from the two-thirds vote.
Opponents are expected to try again to change the voting percentages on the first day of the Churchwide Assembly, which occurs August 17-22, when the whole body can vote. This change will require a two-thirds vote.
