A post on another blog takes a cheap shot at Priscilla Owen for attending a church that left the Episcopal church over the denomination's stance on homosexuality. The church believed it was an issue of scriptural authority.
But Mark Pritchard, who publishes Too Beautiful decides to rail against the church as "reactionary" and calls Owen a "homophobe." Seems Pritchard is the one being reactionary. Because someone appeals to scripture doesn't make them a homophobe. I know plenty of people who have worked hard on many justice issues for gays but who believe that scripture opposes sexual relationships among homosexuals. They are not "afraid" of gays.
Referring to people who appeal to scripture for their beliefs as homophobes is as helpful to the discussion as referring to male homosexuals with obscene names.
I also know of the church and the denomination it joined, the Evangelical Covenant Church, which Jim Wallis referred to as the most exciting in the country. I don't think anyone would refer to Wallis, the editor of Sojourners, as a homophobe.
1 comment:
Thanks for commenting on my post. Let me take issue with two points in your response.
The main question is whether someone is a "homophobe" for being an active member of the congregation in question -- one that left the national Episcopal body because of the Gene Robinson issue. Clearly, it depends on how you define the term homophobe. I am defining it as someone who actively opposes the full integration of LGBT people in society. In my opinion, this issue -- of whether or not gay people may pursue a call to the clergy or indeed work in any choen field; whether they receive the right to form the same legalized familial relationships as straight people; whether they may adopt and care for children, and so forth -- is an issue of justice. This justice is just as much the work of the church as of a democratic society. In my opinion, working against justice for LGBT people is homophobia; working against justice for women is misogyny; working against justice for people of color is racism. That is how I'm using the word "homophobe" to apply to Patricia Owen or to any member of her chuch congregation.
Your literal use of the term, to refer to a literal fear of gay people, misses the point, though I don't doubt I am correct in guessing that actual fear is part of the congregation's reasoning in rejecting Gene Robinson as a bishop.
The other point you make is that the issue is scriptural authority. As I understand the Episcopalian tradition (and I'm a Lutheran, so I just know what I've read), scriptural authority is only part of what Episcopalians consider when deciding what the right thing is to do. Unlike, say, Southern Baptists, Episcopalians don't insist on a literal reading of scripture, and the Bible isn't the only source of truth. But if the Austin congregation in question does really believe "scriptural authority" trumps everything else, then I guess it was the right thing to do for them to leave the Episcopal Church.
I know I won't change your mind about these issues or about whether it is all right for gay people to have sex, but know that my words were considered and not just mud-throwing.
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