Living In A Crucified Place

Over at Telling Beads, Jeffri Harre has posted Living in a Crucified Place, which echoes some of my own thoughts when I saw our Presiding Bishop's interview with Bill Moyers.

Here is his concluding paragraph:

We are familiar with this crucified place because we have been living here most of our lives. The mostly unspoken implication is that the entire Episcopal Church is being asked to stand here. It is not. Heterosexual bishops are still being consecrated. Opposite gender marriages are still being blessed. Unless there is a moratorium on all consecrations and all marriages while the Anglican Communion sorts through these issues, then the heterosexual members of the Episcopal Church are not standing in this crucified place.

I probably should not draw a connection (much less an equivalence) here, but I can't resist. The Anglican Communion News Service today publicized the fact that Anglican clergy joined ecumenical partners in "an Act of Worship . . . to mark the start of the America’s Cup yacht races." Bless pets? Of course! Bless jewelry? No problem! Bless military aircraft carriers? Yep! Bless the luxury ships of the wealthy? Naturally! But bless the faithful, committed relationships of gay men and lesbians pursuing lives of holiness in the Episcopal Church? Heaven forfend! Certain folks would rather rip the Anglican Communion to shreds before approving such a travesty. Sheesh!

As the bumper sticker says: If you're not angry, you're just not paying attention.

I am grateful – truly grateful – for the support of "privileged" persons such as Bishop Jefferts Schori and many of my dear friends who are articulate and passionate on our behalf. But sometimes I do share Jeffri's frustration with those who can speak (albeit with a pained sigh) of "standing in a crucified place" when they have never been called "worse than dogs"– when they have never had to plead or struggle for the right to serve (with our whole selves, our souls and bodies) in the Church. I'm conflicted. Sometimes grateful for the crumbs that are dropped off the table, and sometimes angry at the injustice of it all. Tonight, I'm just conflicted.

Go read Jeffri's essay. It's thoughtful and thought-provoking.