by the Rev. Roman Roldan, Clerical Alternate, Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana-
Everyone knew today was the day to make history and, perhaps, to be on the right side of history. The certainty that today was the day is the result of a number of factors:
(1) The opposition has shrunk to historic proportions. The Episcopal Church has never been as homogeneous as it is today. Most clergy who hold to a traditional view of marriage have left the church since 2003, leaving the few that remain in TEC completely isolated, weakended, and almost voiceless.
(2) The Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same sex unions provided the impetus and momentum the General Convention wanted.
(3) For years the issue of marriage has been framed as a pastoral issue, and not as a Biblical issue that is supported by thousands of years of Tradition. When you see the issue this way, traditional ways of understanding marriage and family become personalized, and all you can think about is Lisa who loves Mary, John who loves Peter, and Pierre who perhaps loves both. It becomes a civil rights issue. Sadly, for many in the church, the image of those who disagree is that of angry, mean-spirited individuals who hate gay people. I believe this is a simplistic caricature of the position. In my own case, it would be easier for me to go with the majority view on this issue and “renew my mind and heart” as someone invited me to do just the other day. This would cause less heartache and less isolation. Who knows, I may get there someday. But as of today, I hold firm to the Biblical definition of marriage, coupled with ample love and hospitality towards those who disagree with me and those who experience a homosexual identity.
(4) The culture has normalized this issue in recent years to the point that acceptance of same-sex unions and homosexual llifestyles has become mainstream in our society. For the Episcopal Church, however, this was a hot button issue before it became a popularly accepted practice. It was 50 years ago that Dr. Louie Crew founded Integrity and the church started their advocacy in favor of LGBT populations. Many in Salt Lake City, aware of the anniversary, expected Convention to bring to a close half a century of advocacy.
(5) National Convention 2012 gave a clear mandate to the church to study the issue of marriage, not just between a man and a woman, but between two consenting adults.
(6) Most Deputies came to Salt Lake City expecting to see history in the making and the news yesterday that the priority calendar for today included a report from the Commission on Marriage set the expectations high for the proceedings that took place this afternoon.
The votes by order were not even close. Both resolutions, one having to do with the approval of trial liturgies for the blessing of same sex marriages, and the second having to do with the actual approval of gay marriage were approved by great majorities. In the first resolution, 90 clergy delegations and 91 lay delegations (the average number of delegates in every order is four per delegation) defeated 13 clergy delegations and 10 lay delegations. In the second resolution, 85 clergy delegations and 88 lay delegations defeated 15 clergy and 12 lay delegations. The victory for the proponents was decisive. I am grateful to the President of the House for her request that no loud celebratory applause or shouts be heard in the House as a sign of respect for those who disagreed. Her pastoral call is greatly appreciated. I also appreciate the courage of several delegations who made sure a minority view was heard through their request of a vote by orders. It was in many ways a symbolic gesture, but one for which some of us and most of the dioceses in Province IX are grateful.
Now, were do we go from here? We continue to invest in Honduras and Angola Prison Ministry. We get up early on Thursdays and go to the nursing home, as we have done for 25 years. We continue to build our growing youth culture by investing in our preschool and youth group. We increase our support of St. Anna’s and All Souls Episcopal Churches through prayer, joint ventures, and financial grants. We continue to rebuild our beautiful sanctuary and we will install a state-of-the art sound system. We continue to emphasize discipleship and adult formation through our Friday and Sunday morning Bible Studies, our Adult Formation programs on Wednesday nights, and our Men’s Prayer Breakfast and Women’s Ecumenical Breakfast. We continue our Seminarians and Missionaries support programs. We continue to pray in our Covenant Prayer Group. We continue to preach the Gospel as we have done since 1827. We continue to improve our hospitality ministries, as we have done in recent years. We continue to show excellence in Pastoral Care, visiting those who are ill and those afflicted by life’s circumstances. We continue to invest time, talent and treasure at the local food bank… We continue to do the things that have allowed our congregation to grow into the healthy, generous, and loving congregation we are. Above all, we will continue to love and include the several members of our congregation who have a homosexual identity, as we have done for years.
God is in control and it is arrogant for us to believe that it is up to us to fix the church. This is God’s church, the body for whom Jesus of Nazareth died on the cross. God will fix the Church in due time. Until then we will walk in the tension of what is and what shall be. God’s blessings to you all, Fr. Roldan+