less again

It’s a technical win at best.

The official Lambeth report on the Human Dignity Call can be found here. It’s a case of ‘on the one hand this, but on the other that’. 

US Presiding Bishop Michael Curry makes the most positive case in a video response:

“I’ve been a bishop 22 years. I’ve been a priest over 40 years. And I have to tell you that as far as I know that is the first time a document in the Anglican Communion has recognized that there is a plurality of views on marriage. And that these are perspectives that reflect deep theological and biblical work and reflection. That they reflect and respect the context in which we live and seek to address the pastoral needs of our people, of all the children of God — that’s why I say today is a hopeful day.

“This group of bishops today are finding a way to walk together as a church. And the words that have echoed in our ears over and over again have been the words of Jesus: ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.’ Not that you agree. But that you love one another. And so, we are still walking together. And in our church, we are making ‘plenty good room’ for all of God’s children,” Curry said.

The problem is - it’s a technical win.

That dreadful Lambeth 98 1.10 says some awful things. The Archbishop of Canterbury said during his preamble:

Therefore, it is the case that the whole of Lambeth 1.10 1998 still exists. This Call does not in any way question the validity of that resolution.

The whole of Lambeth 1.10?

Here is just one passage from it:

We must confess that we are not of one mind about homosexuality. Our variety of understanding encompasses:

• those who believe that homosexuality is a disorder, but that through the grace of Christ people can be changed, although not without pain and struggle.
• those who believe that relationships between people of the same gender should not include genital expression, that this is the clear teaching of the Bible and of the Church universal, and that such activity (if unrepented of) is a barrier to the Kingdom of God.

So we have, under Presiding Bishop Curry’s (I think accurate) reading, the first official acceptance of equal marriage in an Anglican document at this level, set side by side with a call for conversion therapy and an insistence on eternal celibacy. 

A technical win?

You see, nowhere in any of the official document does Justin come out and acknowledge LGBTQ people. Oh, he talks of ‘sexuality’, of ‘human dignity’, of the way that all that is happening ‘is felt by many to state that who they are and who they love is wrong, that they are less than fully human’. 

But he never quite talks of queer people. He never actually mentions us in so many words. He fails to specifically name us even when talking about us ('felt by many', 'they'). He de-persons us. Again and again and again. It’s not that he fails to apologise for mistakes made - he fails to acknowledge we exist. 

He’s not alone of course; most of our purple friends at Lambeth did this. 

Not all. Archbishop of Wales, Andy John, for example, had no problem in remembering we exist and in recognising something of our lives and stories. 

But it is Justin’s ultimate failure to speak our name that makes this political solution taste sour. Let me be clear - I think he did pull a rabbit out of a hat, I think he did do the undoable and make Lambeth work, I think he got what he needed on Tuesday. 

But he did it by forgetting us. By writing us out of the script. He did it by making those who have always been made less in the Church less again. 

Sandi Toksvig's Twitter post (that got taken up by The Guardian and others) captures the shock of what this feels like - and the disappointment that someone who has the power to do good for people should miss the chance to speak up for those people. Thirty-five out of fifty-six Commonwealth member states outlaw homosexuality. People live in fear. And people - real people - were forgotten this week. Tom Daley and the ambassadors for Pride House at the Commonwealth Games show more of Jesus in their work than any Tweet by any bishop I have read this week.

So yes: we have equal marriage now on paper as part of the Anglican world. Alongside conversion therapy. There’s progress for you. And - as ever - straight people will be congratulating each other for this, and wondering why we are not quite as happy with the outcome as they.

Let me help:

It may have been a technical win, but I’m a human being. And that got forgotten. So perhaps you'll forgive me if I’m not feeling great today.

Though...

(later)

I see Sandi Toksvig has had a reply. We don't all live on this exalted level, but thankfully some do. And the Archbishop of Canterbury has indicated to Sandi that he doesn't stand by all of 1.10 (he's against conversion therapy, though he might have made that clear on Tuesday) and - in answer to my main point - he actually names us. He says to Sandi: 

The hatred and threats that you - and so many other LGBTQI+ people - have experienced in

the name of Jesus Christ are a sin.

We can't all have a coffee with the Archbishop; we can't all be privy to private conversations. I'm glad a little prompting has gotten him to remember out loud that we are people. 

It's just that...

One day, everybody will be equally human, equally valued, equally named and loved. And it won't take public outrage or private coffee conversations to make sure followers of Jesus - of all people - don't forget.