The original article may be found at http://www.dioceseswfla.org/ezine/july2004/howell.htm.

Editor, Southern Cross

I wish to take issue with a statement by Michael Howell in the July/August issue of The Southern Cross concerning Gay and Lesbian members of the Episcopal Church.  Mr. Howell is of the opinion that the Episcopal Church is "affirming sin as righteousness" by allowing Gays and Lesbians, particularly those in faithful committed relationships, full participation in the life of the Church, including the Episcopate.  

This is far too simplistic an approach to be taken seriously.  Gays and Lesbians have always been an integral part of the Church, and they will continue to be so.  There is nothing inherently wrong with being born Gay or Lesbian.  It is difficult if not impossible to argue that Gays and Lesbians are inherently more sinful than anyone else, basing one's argument on a reasoned reading of scripture alone.  

Fundamentalists make an idolatry of scripture by selectively choosing six or seven "flog" passages from the Hebrew Scriptures and St. Paul to attack Gay and Lesbians relationships.  These include passages in Leviticus, the story of the sin of Sodom, and the admonitions of St. Paul and his disciples.  None of these have anything to do with committed Gay and Lesbian relationships, and none of them speak to sexual orientation!  The bible is silent on sexual orientation.  Scholars now believe that these passages actually have more to do with survival and common identity of the tribe (Leviticus), inhospitality and rape (Sodom), and Temple prostitution (St. Paul).  

A good book on this topic, which has been around since 1981 is John Boswell's book Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality.  There is a good, solid basis of biblical scholarship for full inclusion of Gays and Lesbians in the Church.  Standing up for that is in no way "affirming sin as righteousness."  More importantly, we have the testimony of committed Gay and Lesbian Christians who speak to the church from their own experience of Christ in their lives.  In Dioceses of the Church where dialogue has been ongoing, many Episcopalians already know growing numbers of Gay and Lesbian Christians and can point to them as integral members of their parishes.  

Only in Dioceses like Southwest Florida, which have refused to have any dialogue on this issue, would acceptance of Gays and Lesbians be condemned out of hand as "affirming sin as righteousness" as Mr. Howell would have it.  This rigid approach to Gays and Lesbians is essentially that of the 17th century Puritans who sought to impose what they perceived to be the mind of God on the rest of the Church at that time.  As William Countryman has written, this is not the classical Anglican way of the Episcopal Church, which above all seeks to maintain common life and conversation of the faithful in community.  None of us can ever presume to know fully the mind of God, but we can hope that the Holy Spirit will work with us, all of us, in unity to bring us toward truth.  Arrogantly asserting that we know what God thinks or wants, without taking the time to listen to others in the Body of Christ, and joining with them in prayer for discernment of God's will, is a manifestation of the sin of pride, plain and simple.  

Let us remember that we are all, each and every one, redeemed children of God and we all need each other very much.

Sincerely yours,

Frank B. Dowd

Naples, Florida

July 26, 2004