Several years ago, Gene Robinson was elected Bishop of New Hampshire. Robinson is openly gay and in a committed relationship.
This development has created a rift in the Anglican Communion, with some groups within are admonishing the Episcopal Church for its acceptance of Robinson as bishop.
Last year, several Episcopal parishes in Virginia broke away from their diocese, and joined a conservative Anglican group based in Nigeria.
“We’re not at the beginning or the end of this, we’re somewhere in the middle,” Smiraglia said. “But I don’t see the Episcopal Church backing down.”
All Saints’ parish rector, Rev. Max J. Wolf said he has seen a shift in the conversations among Episcopal leaders regarding gays and lesbians.
He said he had gone to conventions years ago where the anti-gay rhetoric from a few attendees was so strong, he questioned being part of the Episcopal Church.
Now, Wolf said, he does not hear such talk at the conventions.
Smiraglia said the Episcopal bishops have basically said they will stand by Robinson and wait for the rest of the communion to get their act together. He said the act is nothing like the Civil War, with states seceding from the Union.
“There is too much power given to the Anglican Communion in this conversation,” Smiraglia said on the issue.
“Those Church leaders were, until recently, required to be celibate, because if a man or a woman joined the priesthood, they had to be either married or remain celibate — no dating allowed. This created an issue with gays and lesbians, as in most countries, including the United States, because they cannot legally marry.”
What’s the problem with a clergyman remaining celibate if he doesn’t want to enter into marriage with a woman?
“There is too much power given to the Anglican Communion in this conversation,” Smiraglia said on the issue.
It’s not about power. It’s about who is willing to submit to the authority of Christ, and who is willing to walk together in Christian fellowship.
“We’re not at the beginning or the end of this, we’re somewhere in the middle,” I think he is wrong about this. I think we are at the start of this. Anglicans are starting to realize the disrepect TEC has for the rest of the Anglican Communion. It is going to take years for the dust to settle. TEC has no theological or scriptural basis for these innovations and as far as it being prophetic it will a long time for that premise to be found to be truely prohetic or false.
“What’s wrong with a clergyman remaining celibate if he doesn’t want to enter into marriage with a woman?” Not a blessed thing! Celibacy is just as honored an estate as is Holy Matrimony.
Apparently, they have changed the meaning of “dating,” too.
Do I get their attitude right? We (ie TEC) have the power to ignore the requests of the rest of the Communion, do whatever we please regarding consecrations or scripture interpretations or basic Christian beliefs, but apparently “there is too much power given to the Anglican Communion in this conversation” regarding TEC’s actions and the effect on Communion relationships. I think I just may be able to find a new entry in Webster’s under the term “hubris”.
The first sentence of the story gives the context for this retreat:
Members of the gay and lesbian community held a day for spiritual reflection and a discussion of the discord within the Episcopal Church and its other affiliates at All Saints’ Episcopal Church.
This gives you some idea of where the speaker is coming from: “Smiraglia is the Convener of the Episcopal Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Outreach, as well as a staff member at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia.”
” Because I was out and proud to be out and that was just how it was going to be in my life,” Smiraglia said.
I don’t know exactly why this statement bothers me so much. Maybe it is the pride and arrogance evident. Maybe it is the assumption that being a member of the Body of Christ should come without cost. Maybe it is the idea that our identity is our sexual orientation and not our new lives in Christ.
That a Bishop saw fit to ordain this man to the priesthood saddens my heart but does not surprise it. Please God send us godly men.
Interesting confusion of the role of church and state:
“This created an issue with gays and lesbians, as in most countries, including the United States, because they cannot legally marry.”
In terms of the church, the critical definition is that of Holy Matrimony. There are quite a few state sanctioned heterosexual marriages that are outside of the bounds of Holy Matrimony. Interesting how the reporter didn’t pick up on this obvious fact, and that Smiraglia et al seemed content to perpetrate it.