Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 18:56:33 -0400 From: Chris Ambidge Subject: *Integrator* files for 1989 INTEGRATOR, the newsletter of Integrity/Toronto volume 89-5, issue date 1989 05 17 copyright 1989 Integrity/Toronto. The hard-copy version of this newsletter carries the ISSN 0843-574X Integrity/Toronto Box 873 Stn F Toronto ON Canada M4Y 2N9 == Contents == [89-5-1] THE PRIMATE AT INTEGRITY / by Chris Ambidge [89-5-2] THANK YOU, INTEGRITY INC! [89-5-3] HOW TO DO OPPRESSION / by Mayne Ellis [89-5-4] AIDS Consultation Report / a report for the National Church Working Group on AIDS by Doug Graydon [89-5-5] INTERFAITH GAY/LESBIAN GROUP ======== [89-5-1] THE PRIMATE AT INTEGRITY by Chris Ambidge The Eucharist celebrated on 17 May was a particularly joyful occasion for Integrity/Toronto: the Primate, the Most Rev Michael Peers, came to preside. The congregation that was there for him included Integrity/Toronto members from as far away as Montreal, representatives from Integrity/New York and Integrity/Chicago, and members of Affirm, Christos MCC, Dignity and Lutherans Concerned. This was the Wednesday of Pentecost week, and the readings told of the sending of the Spirit on God's people. The theme of the Spirit was picked up by Archbishop Michael in his homily when he spoke of the spirit - God's breath - being everywhere and sometimes just as un- noticed as the air in an otherwise empty room. He also pointed out that the old term "the Comforter" does not mean one-who-soothes, like a child's security blanket; but rather one-who-strengthens. God's strengthening Spirit is everywhere present for all in our ministry to our sisters and brothers. The Primate went on to say that he wanted to talk to and with us, but he had not brought a prepared text: that would have involved his second- guessing us, and he preferred to hear our concerns directly. After gathering around the table for the Eucharist, we returned to our circle for discussion. Archbishop Michael travels all over the country, and deals with the international church, so he has a wide perspective. His view of issues pertaining to gays/lesbians is certainly not confined to the urban central Canada experience of most of those in attendance. Questions ranged around the globe from the situation of lesbians/gays in the Diocese of Sydney to the feelings of the church in Africa toward both homosexuality and polygamy. Closer to home, the Primate spoke about the attitude towards gays and lesbians in Canadian churches. It is his perception that all churches in Canada have been traumatised by the United Church General Council events in Victoria last year. Most people find the homosexual issue - and the recent strife in the United Church - very frightening and threatening. To paraphrase, they would rather leave the lid firmly *on* that can of worms. Archbishop Peers also heard some of our pain, as Sandy told some of his story. He and Cameron, long-standing members of Integrity/Toronto, have been together for two and a half years, and want their spousal relationship recognised and blessed within their faith community. At present, Anglican priests in Canada are explicitly prohibited from giving them "anything that resembles the nuptial blessing". This refusal to bless and to celebrate the love between two people hurts them (and us) a great deal. Sandy and Cameron are being forced to go to Rochester NY for this blessing. The Rev Walt Lee-Syzmanski is an Episcopal priest in that city, and blesses same-sex unions with the support of his bishop. As Sandy said, it is fortunate that Rochester is only 3 hours away, but it is tragic that they had to leave the country to receive the blessing of their church. He went on to say that he realised that the Primate could not give an answer to this, but they did want him to hear some of the pain that the stance of the House of Bishops is causing. Archbishop Michael assured Cameron and Sandy that their story was not falling on deaf and uncaring ears. At the reception afterwards, all of us had the opportunity to meet the Primate on a less formal basis. It was a great evening, and one that we hope to repeat in the not-too-distant future. ======== [89-5-2] THANK YOU, INTEGRITY INC! We would be most remiss if we did not thank Integrity Inc, in the US, who granted us $500 US towards our presence at General Synod. The cheque was presented by Kim Byham, President of Integrity, to Bonnie Bewley, our co-convener, at the reception after the Primate's celebration. Bonnie announced that the bulk of the money will be used to subsidise the (considerable!) travel expenses to St John's of Mayne Ellis, who is convener of Integrity/Vancouver. This will make our group at General Synod more representative of the country, and of the sexes. There will now be five people representing Integrity at General Synod: four from Toronto, one from Vancouver; three men and two women. We are very grateful to Integrity Inc and to one of our own members, who provided a matching grant, for making this possible. ======== [89-5-3] HOW TO DO OPPRESSION by Mayne Ellis I would like to welcome you to this workshop, whose title is "WE ARE SITTING BESIDE YOU: GAYS AND LESBIANS IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH." The title is NOT "Homosexuals in the Church, question mark." You are here because you long for justice, you want to know how this can be achieved for lesbians and gays. For many people, in church and society, justice for gays and lesbians is an interesting current topic. It has never been a *topic* for gays and lesbians. For us, it is a matter of psychic, emotional and often physical survival. I am not referring only to the pogroms of the Middle Ages or the Nazi era. The Roman Catholic Church's 'recognition' that attacks on gay and lesbian people are 'understandable' in the context of our 'intrinsic disorder' - a situation which the church helped create, is itself an intrinsic factor in the injury and murder of thousands of lesbian and gay people throughout the world every year. Where there is oppression, there is injustice, and no peace. Peace can only exist fully when justice is being done fully. But how are we to go about attaining this state, of justice-being-done? What is oppression? I suggest this: it is a function of assumption and denials, of ignorance and hatred. You begin with a group which appoints itself authentic, or more so, than another group, which is thereby less than or not at all. Maybe God told this special group, maybe the mirror did. It comes from the desire to be 'on top'. The use of selected sacred texts, chosen and defined by the oppressor group, whether it is the Bible, Krafft-Ebing, or *Mein Kampf*, reinforces the belief in this greater authenticity. The use of violence obtains and maintains the position of mastery. Laws based upon the selected texts are formulated by the master group, and enforced by it. Through the repetition of these texts, and the ongoing enforcement of social and legal laws, the oppressed group is continually identified, isolated and stripped of rights and privileges. The oppression runs the gamut from simple mockery in the streets to wholesale slaughter. In the function of oppression, one essential fact is never consciously or conscientiously addressed: the God-created humanity of the victims. To admit that would be to admit corollary questions about how God creates, and what, and why. So, how is oppression stopped? First, you must ask: Is there oppression? Don't answer it yourselves, if you are oppressors. Let the victims answer. Hear the evidence, call the witnesses, listen to what they say, let them speak about their experience and perception, let them name themselves, without interruption, without harassment, with love for their personhood, with love for the truth. This conference, which for many of you is a first step in ending oppression for lesbians and gays, began inauspiciously for us. Upon the request of the organisers, Dennis and I thought hard to create a title which we felt would speak clearly to prospective participants about our concerns and our viewpoint. We took pains to include the names by which we know ourselves: lesbian, gay, Anglican. In place of the title we gave, we have what you read here. Homosexual is a hybrid Greek-Latin word created in the 19th century, probably by straight German psychologists. It is not the word we now prefer. Secondly, the presence of gays and lesbians in the church - *any* church - is NOT open to question. It is not a dubious proposition. It is an established fact, as our presence here, and the existence of Integrity, Affirm, Dignity and other gay caucuses should make clear. We have always been in the church; we will always be in the church. So, our first statement, our authentic title of witness, was ignored and replaced with the sort of statement used by the oppressor. Our concerns were, additionally, disgracefully trivialised by the use of the question mark. Who would have dared to ask: Chinamen in the church? Negresses in the church? Cripples in the church? Broads in the church? We were not asked or warned about the replacement of our title. No one telephoned to say: It's too long, it's too provocative, can we use the word 'homosexual' instead? The brochure was issued as you see, with no word about the unilateral decision. The organisers didn't even indicate to us that they asked others for a title, or that they planned to 'edit' what we gave them. I don't think this was done out of malice or bloody-mindedness, though much of what is done to my gay brothers and lesbian sisters, in the church and in this society IS, as anyone hospitalised after a rape or bashing will tell you. It probably never occurred to the editors of this brochure that they were *doing oppression. So deeply are the assumptions and habits of oppression established, they probably never questioned whether what they did would ignore, deny or trivialise the concerns of lesbian and gay Christians. They will perhaps be angry and resentful that I have so strongly criticised this small and telling example of oppression in action. I'm glad it happened, though, this silencing of our statement. It is the best example I could give you about how oppression works at the grass-roots level, here, in our church. Not out of a malicious conspiracy to mess us up, but because it never occurs to the oppressor to question what it's doing. This is the way of the oppressor. You need to understand that. The oppressor never doubts its own rightness. Indeed, the oppressor is surprised, hurt and angered by challenges and criticisms of the ways that work so well to keep it happy. The oppressor does not consult, it rules; it does not ask, it tells. Any criticism is, from the point of view of the oppressor, mistaken or malicious disturbance. In whatever sphere, of race, ability, sexuality, economics, the oppressor is not interested in justice. Why should it be? It is the victims who are interested in justice. The oppressor thinks it does us a favour, more than enough, in 'letting' us stand in the porch to admire the banquet within, on invitation, which is to say, on sufferance. In the church at this time, for gays and lesbians, this sufferance is expressed so: We'll let you in IF. IF you are celibate. IF you aren't ordained. IF you dress and act like a non-gay. IF you stay away from the children. IF you are sorry for being gay. IF you don't talk about it. Each condition is a denial of our understanding, of our calling, of our gifts. So, we hear the testimony; the truth is received and acknowledged. What next? ACTION, in concert WITH THE OPPRESSED, in consensus with them. Gay and lesbian people, like all of you, must be sincerely accepted as real: our lives, needs and ambitions as recognisable and LEGITIMATE as your own. We must work to uproot the attitudes, actions and laws that distort our humanity, which stand between all of us and the establishment of an enduring foundation of justice. And make no mistake about it: it's going to be WORK. For you who hunger and thirst for justice, your first mission (should you choose to accept it) will be to question. Successful oppression depends on the lack of will or the outright refusal to question authority. Its very foundation relies on ignorance, of oppressor and victim. You must include yourselves in this questioning: your attitudes, beliefs, fears, on what you base your authority to oppress, and why. Watch for the sparks of oppression in yourselves: the unthinking response, the unquestioned rejection, the unnamed fear - the *assumptions*. Lesbians and gays continually struggle against fear, hatred and denial, within themselves and without, from others. You will have to do the same for there to be a world in which all of us can live in peace and creativity. Acknowledge that oppression exists; hear the witnesses; then act to cast out oppression, in yourselves and in the structures which have been made, in which we all find ourselves. More specifically, speak out against anti-gay bigotry wherever you see or hear it. Expose lies with the truth, educating yourself. If someone in your church committee tells an AIDS joke - and there is no 'AIDS joke' which does not rely on gay hatred for its point and impact - remind them of the dreadful toll of fear and anguish their laughter disguises. If your rectors preach anti-gay sermons, challenge their knowledge, their understanding, point out their ignorance. If you are in authority, use it to make places of equality and mutual respect, whether you are in an accounting firm or the diocesan office. You don't need to worry about having opportunities. As a lesbian, I can assure you there are plenty of instances of homophobia to deal with. And I know from experience that when I say to God, Here I am, what do you want me to do? God invariably says, Take this, do this, say that. Often, in justice issues, we find many among the privileged choosing to abandon their oppressor privileges to stand with the oppressed, as has happened for women, the handicapped, people of colour, prisoners. But very often, straight people concerned about gay issues will not stand with gays and lesbians, because they're afraid of being identified as gay or lesbian when they're not. I can assure you that it is equally unpleasant to be thought straight when you're not. We are Christians. We stand as witnesses for many for the truth and diversity of lesbian, gay, Christian being. We SHOUT for justice, not only for ourselves, but for all oppressed people, at the door of this church, and this society. We are not alone. We as gay and lesbian Christians have a mediator and advocate who believes so strongly in the worth of who we are, of the justice of our work, that he stands with us, insisting that we be heard, known, loved. The continuing denial of the oppressing church to acknowledge the specific and marvellous revelation of lesbian and gay Christianity is a particularly painful part of the oppression we experience. Yet Christ asks us to go on trying to be heard, despite mockery, denial, condescension, imprisonment, torment, murder. Shall the servant be treated better than the master? We know from our creed that Christ was made human, to share our nature, to participate in the fullness of life with us, including the creative richness of lesbian and gay life that we experience. Christ goes further: He identifies himself with every one of us: If you have done it for the least of these, you have done it for me. It is the oppressed, gays and lesbians among the others, who notice that He has made no distinctions and no exceptions. [Author box: Mayne Ellis is a member of the executive of Integrity/Vancouver. This article is the text of an address that she gave this winter; it was one of several workshops at a day-long diocesan conference "Living Shalom in a Troubled World". The workshop appeared in the schedule as *HOMOSEXUALS IN THE CHURCH?*] ======== [89-5-4] AIDS Consultation Report *The following is a report written by a member of the National Church *Working Group on AIDS on an AIDS consultation which they sponsored by Doug Graydon AIDS is an illness which isolates both those who suffer and those who provide pastoral support. The ongoing struggle against the stigma of AIDS leaves many without the normal supportive resources of the Church. This includes professionals, the laity, families, and those who suffer the illness. Therefore the AIDS Working Group was formed by the National Church as a volunteer committee consisting of national staff, laity, and ordained persons, whose purpose is to support those who are impacted by AIDS and to challenge the Anglican Christian community to respond pastorally to this health crisis. The AIDS Working Group sponsored a consultation to respond to two basic needs felt within the national Church community. The first was the need for those who work directly with PLWA's (persons living with AIDS), their partners, families, or support groups, to come together and share their experiences, needs, and concerns. The second was for the Church as a whole to hear the pain of this illness, and to listen to the witness of those who have been deeply involved and affected by AIDS. By providing this opportunity to gather and bear witness to their ministry, the AIDS Working Group also hoped to receive some pastoral direction which would help shape the ongoing response of the Church to AIDS. The consultation began with the sharing of personal experience. Here the Church as community bore testimony to the pain, fear, and injustice of AIDS. This time of sharing was one of both joy and anger. The joy was felt around the reality of God being present within this illness. Here the crucified Christ was a powerful redeeming symbol of personal triumph over death, suffering and injustice. But anger was also present around the Church's continued hesitancy to respond aggressively to the issues presented by AIDS. The pastoral reality of many was that while the Holy Spirit was felt to be alive within the AIDS crisis, the "Church" was not. Testimony bore witness to the presence of God through the work of hospital chaplains, community groups, volunteers, students, social workers, and committed Church laity. And yet it was felt that the Church had remained too silent too long. This feeling was shared with our Primate who joined us briefly to discuss the recent pastoral letter on AIDS. Michael Peers listened with great sensitivity as the consultation struggled with how the Church , as a national body, can respond publicly to such a complex issue as AIDS. The consultation called upon the Primate, as leader of our Church, to proclaim the message that AIDS is not a judgement by God and that we all must welcome those who suffer from this illness to the Lord's table. We also realised that the Church as community must begin to acknowledge its own humanity and fear in light of this illness; that we must confess this fear and uncertainty and call upon God to lead us past our silence and on to concrete action. This confession of fear and acknowledgement of joy and anger was witnessed within the worship of the consultation. Through a liturgy of candlelight and prayer, we relived the deaths we had experienced, the insights they gave us, and the inspiration we felt so as to continue in this vital ministry. Through the pain and sadness of this worship, we wondered who in fact ministered to whom. Finally, AIDS by implication presents theology with many current challenges. Questions pertaining to human rights, sexual orientation, justice, sexuality, and morality highlight but a few. Yet the consultation developed no new theology to deal with these issues. Instead we were reminded of the radical theology of the Gospel itself which speaks of triumph over suffering through God's eternal love, and Christ's salvific grace. We as Christians are a resurrection people and so we left the consultation energised by our belief that through God we are, and will, triumph over AIDS. There are many tasks left to do in meeting the needs of those who currently suffer, in educating our youth, and in responding pastorally to a society afflicted with AIDS. AIDS may become the catalyst which most profoundly challenges the Church to live the life of Christ crucified, to embrace those who are marginalised and to empower ourselves to transform our world. ======== [89-5-5] INTERFAITH GAY/LESBIAN GROUP On April 16, the Gay/Lesbian Interfaith group met at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Over forty people, representing Integrity, Dignity, BMC (Mennonites), Aware (Christian Reformed) MCC Christos, Covenant Circles, Chutzpah, Affirm, Lutherans Concerned and MCC joined our hosts SAGA (St Andrew's Gay Ass'n) - first of all for a worship service conducted by the Rev Trish Strung of St Andrew's, and then for time together. We saw two panels that were being made for the Canadian AIDS quilt, the names of people we knew and loved. The quilt will be touring Canada this summer. As at all big meetings of groups like this, it was wonderful to feel part of a much larger whole. The next big gathering is even larger - Lesbian/Gay Pride Day, June 25. Togetherness is great, so on Pride Day the tables of most of our member groups will be en masse. We will again be sponsoring a worship service in the course of the day, too. It will be a happy time - on the 25th, come to Church and Wellesley Streets! ======== End of volume 89-5 of Integrator, the newsletter of Integrity/Toronto copyright 1989 Integrity/Toronto Editor this issue: Bonnie Bewley comments please to Chris Ambidge, current Editor chris.ambidge@utoronto.ca OR Integrity/Toronto Box 873 Stn F Toronto ON Canada M4Y 2N9