Not Angels, but Anglicans

For the last month, I've been in Australia and only occasionally heard news from the United States.  I haven't minded too much missing arguments over health care and the Supreme Court confirmation hearings.  But I have fretted about missing the General Convention of the Episcopal Church--my own denomination's triennium meeting now happening in Anaheim.

I know that sounds a little crazy.  After all, what kind of church geek would be jonesing for a denominational meeting while looking out her hotel window at the Sydney Opera House? 

But this meeting was particularly important for Episcopalians.  Six years ago, in 2003, my church confirmed the election of Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion.  That meeting made international news and led to a painful theological backlash from conservative Anglicans and some churches in Africa and South America.  Three years later, in 2006, the Episcopal Church passed a resolution of "restraint" at the convention, committing itself to conversation and no further ordinations of bishops whose "manner of life" (i.e., they were gay or lesbian persons) was offensive to other Anglicans.  This, too, made news as conservative Anglicans launched a political and legal assault to divide the Episcopal Church and drive a wedge between American Episcopalians and the larger body of Anglicans around the world.

And now, in 2009, six years have passed.  Episcopalians have done a lot of talking, some serious crying, much worrying, and have tried to honor the wide diversity of Anglicans around the world.  We didn't ordain any more gay or lesbian clergy as bishops.  We practiced restraint.  We listened.  We tried to be nice.  We prayed.  Yesterday, the Convention meeting in Anaheim summed up what Episcopalians have learned in that process.

By a 2-1 margin, Episcopalians agreed "that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God."  And the Episcopal General Convention equally has come to understand "that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church."  In plain English, the Episcopal Church has now formally recognized the lived reality of faithful same-sex Christian couples in our community and that the Holy Spirit may call persons in such relationships to Christian ministry--even the ministry of bishop. 

This affirmation doesn't demand that anyone do anything or anyone be forced to believe something they find offensive.  Indeed, in the resolution, the church stated that Christians are not of a unified mind and that Christians "of good conscience" may disagree in regards to these concerns.  But the resolution also does two important things:  1) it recognizes that many, many Episcopalians are perfectly comfortable and open to being part of a diverse spiritual community that includes gay and lesbian brothers and sisters; and 2) that local dioceses may chose their bishops by discerning the best candidate for ministry without restriction placed on sexual identity. 

Some may argue that the Episcopal Church has broken faith.  No, Episcopalians are struggling to be faithful and to live justly as our society widens its understanding of human relationships and marriage.  The attempt to do so is not somehow "secular" or untraditional.  Rather, adapting to local cultures is an important part of being Anglican. 

Around 600, Pope Gregory the Great saw a group of blond-haired children in a slave market and was told they were "Angli," or "Angles," from Britain.  Gregory replied, "Not Angles, but Angels" and dispatched missionaries to the British Isles.  He instructed the missionaries to work within the context of the culture they encountered in order to preach the gospel and spread the church.  These first missionaries accommodated their message to many of the spiritual practices they found in pagan England.  It is deeply Anglican to believe that God works within human cultures, in all their variety.  As recently as 1988, when African Anglican bishops asked that the church permit polygamy as a Christian practice, western Episcopalians and Anglicans approved the tradition of multiple wives as an appropriate expression of faith in some cultural contexts. 

The same Anglicans who have been mad about Gene Robinson for six years will continue to be angry.  The same Anglicans who have threatened schism will continue to threaten.  Maybe Anglicans in the rest of the world won't understand.  Some people will see this as unbiblical.  But, trying to figure out faith in particular cultural contexts is Anglican tradition.  For 1400 years, Anglicans have believed weaving together the message of Jesus with human culture and experience is the best way to embody the love of God and neighbor.  We don't always do that perfectly, but we are trying.  After all, we're Anglicans not Angels.