Several persons throughout the Diocese have contacted me regarding recent newspaper articles on the Episcopal Church’s discussion of certain areas of human sexuality. In addition to requests for information regarding the Church’s position, many persons have shared feelings of anger and confusion.
Last month the Presiding Bishop wrote to all the bishops enlisting our help as pastors and teachers. In response, I am sharing his letter for purposes of clarification and discussion:
From the Presiding Bishop:
Many have asked me to take a personal, public stand on such matters as blessing non-marital sexual relationships, including those of persons of the same sex (the issue that seems to have captured the headlines).
I do not believe that at this time I should assume this responsibility, as the General Convention has asked its Standing Commission to bring to it a report and guidelines on such matters.
I believe it is my role at this time to hold up for the whole Church a model of leadership which enables any subject to be discussed among us as long as such discussion is within a framework of mutual respect and lovingkindness.
Discussion of sensitive issues can be painful for some since it may focus directly on behavior which has been traditionally unacceptable to the majority of the faithful. But if we are not free as a family of God’s people to engage one another in love and compassion, how are we being faithful to the Gospel we preach?
No, it is my time to listen and to help us all to listen to one another. The Church will make its decisions soon enough.
The Church is not being asked to reject the Christian teaching on marriage and sexual intimacy. We must continue to uphold, affirm and do all that we can to support the life-long committed relationship of a woman and man as the ideal context for the expression of human sexual intimacy. This intimacy is a way of deepening relationships of care and love for one another and of providing the best setting for nurture.
The Church’s teaching has guarded against the moral, emotional and psychological chaos of a sexuality based solely on instinct or affection. Correctly understood, the Church’s position leads not to rejection and repression, but to true integration, since more is involved in sexual activity than pleasure.
Sexual ethic is hard
The Christian sexual ethic is hard but it has been the experience of Christians that only when human love participates in something of the divine unconditional love, can the yearning of the human heart be satisfied.
Many people do settle for relationships and sexual intimacy outside the Church’s teaching. The question before us is how does the Church minister to those within, and those outside, the Christian community who engage in sexual intimacy outside the marriage state.
This question is now being explored and, indeed, agonized over by our Standing Commission on Human Affairs and Health. I believe we are hearing that there are many minds on this subject. What we must all strive for is the grace to hear God’s voice in this discussion. Our responsibility is to be faithful to God’s will, not merely bless the status quo.
Separate two concepts
In my view, we would be helped if we could separate two concepts which I believe are often not made distinct. The first is values. The other Is behavior.
I do not believe it is necessary or possible for every individual to establish the same behavior; Indeed, sometimes it is difficult to perceive what the value is behind the person’s actions, which leads to a questioning of the action.
What I perceive happening is that many are not separating these two concepts: values and behavior. There is great conversation about the actions but little comprehension about the root values. What some are hearing Is that we are insisting upon both a set of common values and uniform patterns of behavior from application of such values.
No wonder some are confused and angry, especially at those of us who are lifted up as guardians of the faith.
Church celebrates diversity
My friends, I trust our decision-making process in this family of those whom God is leading and redeeming with his Truth. It is consistent with our ethos as a community wherein diversity is celebrated and unity emerges from its free exercise within an ordered life of Word and Sacrament.
At the moment, we are in the analytical and discerning phase of our process. We are engaging and hearing many voices, some disquieting, many shrill. We need to keep our wits about us and let the official and unofficial channels of the Spirit inform us, in vestries, diocesan conventions, the House of Bishops, provincial synods, seminary faculties, the press, commentators and prophets.
The General Convention and the House of Bishops will be dealing with most of our concerns in due course. Let us not interrupt our orderly decision-making processes by taking positions which can only be interpreted as final statements of Truth. Let us approach these delicate subjects In sufficient humility and prayer to recognize that this Truth is still leading us, not vice versa.
We dare not close our minds and hearth to the work of the Holy Spirit, which is constantly renewing us and leading us ‘‘into all truth”.
Dissolving into a morass?
I realize many within our Church find open debate and lack of finality troubling. They wonder if the Church is dissolving into a morass of cultural relativism. They suspect diversity and pluralism of being the cloak for woolly thinking and lack of authority and discipline. They long for a Moses who will bring certainty as to both values and behavior. In difficult times, I, too, have such longings.
From our Bishop:
By way of this article, I am asking that each of the churches in the diocese set aside time for education, discussion and reflection regarding human sexuality. Resources are available . . .