U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada given opportunity to stand up...

February 25, 2005 - 03:09pm [National] U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada given opportunity to stand up for justice and equality in the face of statement by Anglican Communion

U.S. and Canadian churches issued moratorium and asked to explain their thinking on same-sex holy unions and consecrating bishops based on their sexual orientation

SOULFORCE MEDIA ALERT: February 24, 2005 For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt
717-278-0592 laura [at] soulforce.org <mailto:laura [at] soulforce.org >

(Lynchburg, VA) – Today, primates of the Anglican Communion issued a statement that they want the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada to stop performing same-sex holy unions, stop consecrating bishops who live with a partner of the same sex, and withdraw temporarily from the Communion's Councils, and to explain their position and thinking on homosexuality and the church, in Nottingham, England in June.

The consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson, an openly gay man living in a committed relationship with another man, has divided the church and caused a rift between the US and Canadian Churches, and the Anglican Communion.

In light of these events, Soulforce, Inc. issued the following statement:

Although the statement by the primates of the Anglican Communion is incredibly hostile toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people everywhere, it gives the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada the historic opportunity to stand up for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all of God's creation.

This is also a auspicious moment in time for the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada to perform acts of ecclesial disobedience in the face of injustice by going against any moratorium requested by the Anglican Communion, and continue to perform holy unions and consecrate bishops without regard to one's sexual orientation or who they love.

It is the hope of Soulforce, Inc. and thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people of faith and their allies, that when given the opportunity in Nottingham, England in June to explain their position, the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada will use this opportunity to proclaim that everyone is worthy of equal treatment and uphold the principles taught in the Bible of love, justice, and compassion for all.