According to my local news cannel and nydailynews.com, As of June 9th, 2008 The first openly gay bishop of the Episcopalian church has been joined in a civil union. Rev. Gene Robinson was legally joined with his partner of 20 years. This was made possible by the Episcopalian open acceptance of the LGBT community and the recent legalization of civil unions in New Hampshire.
I believe that this civil union, although starting a heated debate in the religions community, is going to be a step forward towards acceptance of the LGBT community. The civil union of a high religious figure I feel is going to help by being a hand hold against the anti-gay religious argument. Because yes many modern christian sects have accepted the LGBT community, the prominent sects are not so accepting and there are still people who, when the topic of homosexuals is brought up, will still use the religious argument... I have also been told that I needed to change my ways before I go to hell but that is a rant for another time.... I think this is going to, once the heated debate in the religious community is over, help rocket the acceptance for all in the eyes of religion in the united states atleast.
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I think this is going to, once the heated debate in the religious community is over, help rocket the acceptance for all in the eyes of religion in the united states at least.
I left the Episcopal Church around 30 years ago about the time I became an adult. I really don't buy into Christianity in any case but of all Protestant religions, the Episcopal Church has always seemed to be the least grounded in a firm basis of morality. A Church that does not make any behavioral demands is not much of a Church. Despite not being a member, I have found the unraveling to be a fascinating bit of history in progress and have been watching closely. It is not every day you see one of America's great Churches commit suicide.
I think there is a lot of sympathy in the mainstream Protestant clerical community for the LGBT cause. I think a lot of seminaries where the clergy are trained are hotbeds of gay behavior. But despite the sympathy I doubt very many churches are going to find the courage to follow the Episcopal example.
The Episcopal decision to consecrate Vichy Gene Robinson as a Bishop has literally decimated the Episcopal Church so far and will either completely destroy it or will reduce it to minor sect status. They are hemorrhaging members, church attending members, money, whole churches and whole dioceses. And when a church does leave it is almost invariably the largest, healthiest and most evangelical in the diocesse leaving behind a bunch of weak, aging and dying Churches filled with old people and lacking children. It seems likely that the Episcopal Church's decision will cause the worldwide Anglican Communion to come unglued. If that happens, the Episcopalians will be reduced from members of one of the largest mainstream protestant religions with worldwide membership of about 50 million to a tiny insignificant sect of under 2 million registered members and regular attending and giving membership of under 700,000 and shrinking. Sunday giving has fallen dramatically and many dioceses are basically living off the trust fund giving of dead people, most of whom probably would not have approved of their new direction. Vast amounts of the money they do have is being spent on lawsuits trying to retain the real estate when the overwhelming majorities of congregations vote to leave the Episcopals Church and re-align themselves with traditional Anglicans headed by Bishops from South America and Africa. Increasingly, the Episcopals Church is a real estate rather than a religious concern with sparse attendance and the attendance they do have is largely old people and gays and neither of those groups have many children. Churches of course are absolutely dependent on children for renewal.
I can't see the future but it is my guess that many churches will see the Episcopal example as one they lack the courage to follow.
I attend seminary with several openly gay Episcopalians. They Episcopal Church(the part that wants to stay in) has been supportive.
My Blog: www.progressiveu.org/blog/jlepp-journey