Gays Help Reclaim Jesus' Words

[realFedUp]

(this convention is historical)

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-johnson29jul29,1,6925288.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

Gays Help Reclaim Jesus' Words
By Fenton Johnson
Fenton Johnson is the author of "Keeping Faith: A Skeptic's Journey" (Houghton Mifflin, 2003).

July 29, 2003

At its general convention starting Thursday in Minneapolis, the Episcopal Church of America will ratify or reject the Diocese of New Hampshire's election of the Rev. Canon V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, as bishop. Opponents of Robinson's election are threatening to leave the global Anglican Communion if the convention approves his election. Conservatives are also threatening schism over a resolution endorsing "blessing ceremonies" for same-gender unions.

When I turn to the Christian Bible to address the question, I find no evidence of the flaxen-haired favorite of the political right. Instead I find a portrait — remarkably consistent across all accounts — of a renegade anti-establishment proto-feminist communitarian bachelor Jew. Jesus never comes closer to endorsing orthodoxy than the ambiguous "render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's," even as he frequently advocates inarguably radical behavior. What is this business with letting the dead bury their dead? What about his teaching to leave behind parents and family to follow his way? Not to mention the famous directive to give up everything I own to become what a more cynical writer might call a bum.

The struggles of Robinson in New Hampshire and of gays and lesbians everywhere turn out to be less religious than political, which is both troubling and inspiring. Troubling because the far right has so successfully appropriated Jesus' story and the label "Christian" that these are in danger of losing altogether their connections to their roots. But inspiring because they present us with the challenge to reclaim Jesus and his message. Knowing the history, maybe we can perceive this struggle as another step in the liberation of human beings from cowering before warrior sky gods to embracing, in their stead, a wisdom tradition founded not in define-and-reject but in acceptance and love.

[DrBB]

1. My wife just left to attend the convention

She's not a delagate but is involved and went specifically to watch this history being made. If you get a chance, listen to Bishop-elect Robinson's interview on Terry Gross/Fresh Air:

http://freshair.npr.org/

Click on "Archive"--I believe it was the interview from last thursday.

[realFedUp]

2. Thanks for posting that....

also if you know of a way to keep track of the convention
via a website or radio let us know. Thanks.