Having not seen the final text of the HoB document until late last night, I have since been calmly and gently (yeah, right!) formulating my response to this latest bit of hypocritical appeasement. Here are my preliminary observations, made in between my sputtering fits:

1. the bishops are being either ingenuous or, more bluntly, hypocritical when they tout that "in Christ all God's children, including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church" while upholding -- and removing any ambiguity from -- B-033. We GLBT people are NOT full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church so long as we are categorically barred from any ordained office, no matter HOW they try to spin it as a "season of waiting." It's total bulls**t, pardon my bluntness, and they should have the integrity to say right out that GLBT Episcopalians are second-class citizens being sacrificed for the idol of uniformity in the Communion. Or at least apologize for their treatment of us rather than patting themselves on the back for being so deftly political.

   B-033 remains a pernicious evil and a sin against the Holy Spirit; until it is repealed we do against our GLBT brothers and sisters in the Church the very violence we condemn in others.

2. the bishops seem capable of finding their spines only when their own authority is at stake; one would like to see them defend the equality of all baptised Christians with the same zeal they apply to their territorial prerogatives.
3. the continued calls for participation in the "listening process" are getting old and cloying; we're tired of hearing the HoB encouraging the dissident provinces to take part in something they plainly want no part of -- at this point, to GLBT folk it sounds like pious boilerplate claptrap, because at this point, it is. How about a *demand* that calls the other Primates to account for failing to keep their promises made at Lambeth? Again, our bishops were sure able enough to show some teeth when it came to episcopal incursions.

4. calling for civil rights for GLBT folk (actually, only GL folk) rings hollow in the face of the bishops' hypocrasy regarding sacramental rights. I want to know, in specific detail, what each bishop is going to do to follow through on these fine words -- which bishop is going to pick up the phone to call their government representatives to lobby for equal rights? And how can they justify doing that in the civil realm when they refuse to do so in the spiritual realm? GLBT folks see this as just more empty words, a politically correct sound bite. "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only."

5. As expected, the other side is already spouting that the HoB's Response is "too little, too late" (that's from +Duncan, who wasn't even there -- guess it's easier to throw stones from across the street), while Stand Firm's take is that the break is imminent. I could have told the bishops that would be the response, yet they once more took the route of appeasement leading to futility. It's bad enough to be sacrificed, but to be sacrificed for nothing is even worse.

6. I find the ++PB's continued use of crucifixion imagery to be inappropriate and deeply offensive to GLBT folk. She and the other bishops may be wringing their hands at the foot of the Cross, but it's their own hands that have nailed me and my GLBT sisters and brothers up on that Cross. The fact that Jesus hangs there with us doesn't change the fact that by failing to protect all their flock, the bishops have taken on the role of the Roman soldiers.

   Okay, yes, I know that the HoB's statement is not as bad as it might have been, that it simply maintains the status quo and doesn't "go back" -- but what it doesn't "go back to" is the aftermath of GC2003 and the shame of B-033. What the bishops have produced will please no one, will prevent no break-up, keeps GLBT Episcopalians in the back of the bus, and stifles any voice of prophecy or movement of the Spirit. "The lukewarm I will spit from my mouth."

Here endeth the rant.

(The Rev.) Barry M. Signorelli
Priest Associate
Church of the Holy Apostles, NYC
An Inclusive Landmark Episcopal Parish
bsignorelli@holyapostlesnyc.org
www.holyapostlesnyc.org