God Bless Scotland!

In an article published in Sunday's Scotsman, The Very Rev. Kelvin Holdsworth (Provost of St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow) writes of his decision to invite Bishop Robinson to preach and celebrate the Eucharist after Bishop Robinson was refused permission by Archbishop Williams to do so while in England.

We are well reminded that the Episcopal Church in the U.S. has Scotland to thank for our membership in the Anglican Communion. As Holdsworth reminds us all: Scotland "consecrated a bishop for Connecticut when the Church of England would not dirty its hands dealing with the Colonies."

He also writes:

I invited Bishop Robinson to spread good news. Not just the Good News of the Gospel, which inspires all preachers, but the good news that churches are changing. At one time, gay people were expected to pretend they were not doing anything with anyone in order to be acceptable on Sunday. Those days are gone, at least for some of us.

They are certainly gone in the Scottish Episcopal Church, which has many serving gay clergy and in whose churches clergy may offer, if they so choose, prayers of blessing for gay couples.

The character of the Scottish Episcopal Church is more pragmatic than the Church of England. No-one seriously believes there are no gay clergy in the Church of England; their presence has been the subject of snide innuendo for decades. However, their presence has also been witness to the kind of faith often prepared to go places others find most difficult.

Too bad the Archbishop of Canterbury isn't as honest and courageous as the Provost of St. Mary's Cathedral!

Now ... Anyone care to start a tally? How many provinces of the Anglican Communion have gay/lesbian clergy? The Episcopal Church. Canada. Scotland. England. Uganda (as we know from bishop Christopher Senyonjo who attended Lambeth against his primate's orders). What other provinces have ordained gay men and lesbians?