September 29, 2007

Episcopal bishops decide to exercise restraint

Dear LC/NA Members:

Last week, Episcopal bishops meeting in New Orleans declared that they will "exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."

They also agreed "not to authorize or use in our dioceses any public rites of blessing of same-sex unions until a broader consensus emerges in the Communion or until general onvention takes further action."

It is a profound indictment of the current state of Christianity when bishops from any denomination, especially those who have already consecrated an openly gay bishop, choose to betray him, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families for the sake of the illusion of the unity of an institution. The church is already divided. LGBT people and their families are the ones again forced to the side by this decision. My heart aches for our LGBT siblings in the Episcopal Church USA. Their bishops are treating them like yo-yos instead of as members of the body of Christ. To pull close and then later to cast aside as unloved and unworthy is frankly to abuse. We call on the bishops of the ECUSA to reverse course, to right this wrong and quickly.

Emily Eastwood
Executive Director
exec@lcna.org