The Episcopal Church takes inclusiveness into the secular stratosphere

Fintan · Jul 23, 2012

National Post: The Episcopal Church takes inclusiveness into the secular stratosphere
Jul 23, 2012

The Episcopal Church USA at its recent general convention set a new standard for Christian secularism. At the meeting they created a liturgical rite for the blessing of same-sex couples — not a surprising move given how many individual dioceses have been performing the ceremony for years. But another issue took the idea of inclusiveness to an entirely new level. At the meeting in Indianapolis it was decided that “gender equality” extended to “transgender equality,” and in particular with regards to the clergy.

As reported by Religion Dispatches, the church amended its canon law to read:

“No one shall be denied rights, status, or access to an equal place in the life, worship, and governance of this Church because of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disabilities, or age…”

In plain language, there is now no impediment to transgender people becoming ordained ministers. There was no official impediment before but clearly the church felt it had to make a statement to tell the world where its heart resides.

Ephraim Radner, an Episcopal priest and a professor of historical theology at Wycliffe College, an Anglican theological school in Toronto, thinks the message is not one to celebrate but to mourn.

“This is crazy. They are getting their priorities wrong and it’s killing the church.”

Worse, he said, the church is telling the world that dealing with the issue of transgender clergy is a big priority in a world with far more pressing priorities.

A recent study by The Williams Institute said 0.3% of Americans are transgender. It is hard to imagine how many of that small number are considering careers in the Episcopal Church. I will guess it is very small.

In a sense, this was probably to expected. Just view the language now used around issues of sexual identity. Whereas gay and lesbian — or even just gay — was once considered fine it is now necessary to add a whole bunch more of sexual identities.

The simplest is LGBT — lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender — but it is not uncommon to see LGBTTIQ — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirited, intersex, queer and questioning.

Use these terms enough and no longer is it right question why these various groups are being jammed together — even though being transgender has nothing to do with being gay and I still have no idea how two spirited became a category. The decision that they are related comes from interest groups and not common sense. And now politicians, journalists and social scientist feel obliged to repeat this litany as if it was the law of the land.

This is nothing to do with liberalism but with group-think.

The Episcopal Church, which has 2000 years of Christian tradition behind it, seems to have decided that it is better to hook their wagon to a modern trend. Christian traditions are meant to be of the culture but also stand outside of it, not to mimic it. In fact, it could be argued that secular society should mimic Christianity, not the other way around.

“This move is part of changing the definition of God,” said Rev. Radner. “It is saying that anything that could define our sexual identity outside of ourselves is by definition tyrannical. It is saying God can’t have a purpose for our sexuality that has a normative character. And that Scripture can no longer have any defining authority in human life.

“They’re following the secular culture completely and applying those standards to the church.”

The Episcopal Church may be becoming more popular with secularists but they are a flop with Christians. Between 2006 and 2010 it lost 200,000 members and 300 parishes and Episcopal membership is at is lowest point since the 1930s.

Part of this is can be blamed on changing demographics, more inter-marriage and the general secularization society. Also, more Protestants move easily between other Protestant churches and denominational loyalty is not what it once was.

But astute observers have recognized that churches that are growing or holding their own are orthodox. They are not trying to become “with it” or “modern” but to preach the Gospel — even it that means annoying interest groups from time to time.

Christianity is a tough business. But being orthodox or faithful does not mean a lack of compassion. Bending the rules for everyone is not showing adult charity but the great confusion that comes with always trying to be nice.
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IrisM · Jul 23, 2012

I am glad they've taken this step. I'm sure a lot of disaffected feeling people will take this move to heart and go pay their local Episcopal church a visit. Now if only the rest of the churches could be so accepting.

AshenAngel · Jul 27, 2012

Good for them the world is slowly warming up to everyone else's reality. baby steps, sure, but they're still forward. I'm not religious, but this makes me happy

BradThePug · Jul 27, 2012

I'm really glad to see this. I know that I went to play trombone at a church one time and I was denied entry because I was too masculine...

The Episcopal Church takes inclusiveness into the secular stratosphere

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