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A Time for Clarity:

An Open Letter to Bishop Swing from the Advisory Board of Oasis/California, Diocesan Clergy, and Laity of the Diocese of California

Dear Bishop Swing,

As we celebrate the 25^th anniversary of your episcopate, we recall with gratitude how far our diocese has come in supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals and families. We honor that achievement and the gift it has been to our families, our Church, and us. At the same time, we will continue to challenge you, and one another, to boldly declare that there will be no second-class Christians in our Church.

On April 29, 2004, an article appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle reporting on the recent "marriage" of Bishop Otis Charles, retired Utah. There is nothing unusual about the marriage of an Anglican bishop--it is normally society page news in any community; except, of course, when the bishop in question is a gay man and the occasion is the blessing of his union with another gay man. Given your response to this article, it appears to us that what can be taken for granted as a public event for a straight bishop must be done "under the radar" by a gay bishop.

By your own account, after reading the article in the Chronicle that morning, you informed Bishop Charles within the hour that his license to officiate in the Diocese of California was being revoked. He is no longer an assisting bishop in this diocese. Why? Because, according to your letter to diocesan clergy, "The San Francisco Chronicle and Otis made this an altogether more public event than I had wanted."

We understand that the "problem" wasn't the event per se. You have authorized the blessing of same-sex unions on a case-by-case basis for some time now. The unofficial policy under which we have operated, as we understand it, is as follows:

1. There must be consensus within the parish to support the blessing of same-sex unions.

2. The rite must be a one-time, experimental liturgy distinctly different from the marriage rite and approved in advance by the bishop.

3. The liturgy must not attract media attention.

In short, the message is this: "Blessing same-sex unions is fine, just don't let anyone know about it!" (And don't presume to think that it is the moral or sacramental equivalent of marriage.) This is, at best, a mixed message. Liturgy by definition is a public activity. It is the work of the people, and that is just as true for marriage and the blessing of same-sex unions as it is for baptism and Eucharist. Heterosexual couples publish engagement and marriage announcements regularly, and the banns are published in church. Must we treat our celebration and blessing of same-sex relationships as a dirty little secret?

It seems that Bishop Charles' refusal to do that cost him his ability to exercise his ordained ministry in this diocese. Our hope is that the price he has paid will not be in vain.

It is time for clarity in this diocese about the blessing of same-sex unions. It is time for us to come out of the closet and offer the Bay Area a public witness to the life-giving holiness we have experienced in the ministries of same-sex couples in our parishes. The time for a double standard is long past. With the passage of resolution CO51 at General Convention 2003, which affirmed local option at the discretion of the diocesan in the matter of blessing same-sex unions, it is time to develop a rite(s) for such blessings and a clear, written policy regarding its use in this diocese.

Such action on the part of the Diocese, under your leadership, would go a long way toward healing the pain and ending the confusion felt by many Episcopalians in the aftermath of the disciplinary action taken against Bishop Charles. We fear, however, that it will not be enough to rectify the unfortunate public relations surrounding that action. What could have been a wonderful opportunity for witnessing to the full inclusion of gay and lesbian Christians in the sacramental life of the Church, became instead a confusing message that was, and could be, understood to undermine the Church's commitment to gay and lesbian people in the Bay Area and beyond.

We need an honest, transparent witness to what we have been doing, and will continue to do, in this Diocese with respect to our pastoral and sacramental ministry with same-sex couples. There is no need to hide our light underneath a bushel any longer. In your Easter Sermon of this year, you commended Mayor Gavin Newsom for honoring the vows of same-sex couples and treating them with dignity as full human beings. You suggested that what happened at City Hall in San Francisco raised us into a more full humanity, rolling away the stone of centuries of discrimination. If you so publicly honored same-sex marriages at City Hall, how much more should we proclaim the sanctity of same-sex unions blessed in our churches? We feel more than a little shame that our civic leaders have displayed greater courage in this matter than we have as Christian leaders.

The time for clarity around the blessing of same-sex unions is now. It is both a pastoral imperative and a matter of justice. We urge you to offer your leadership to the work of creating a clear policy for the Diocese of California as soon as possible.

Yours in Christ,

(If you would like to add your name to the list of signers, e-mail the Reverend John Kirkley at rector@saintjohnsf.org.)

Signers of the Open Letter to Bishop Swing

The Rev. John Kirkley, President, Oasis/CA Advisory Board & Rector, Good Shepherd, Belmont

Mr. Michael Fullam, Vice-President, Oasis/CA Advisory Board, Church of the Advent, San Francisco

Mr. Steve Clyburn, Secretary, Oasis/CA Advisory Board, St. Bede's, Menlo Park

Mr. Jerry Duncan, Treasurer, Oasis/CA Advisory Board

Mr. Fred Cone, Oasis/CA Advisory Board, Church of Our Saviour, Mill Valley

The Rev. John Kirkley, Oasis/CA Advisory Board & Interim Rector, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

The Rev. Cn. Michael Barlowe, Oasis/CA Advisory Board & Officer for Congregational Development, Diocese of California

The Rev. Ron Willis, Oasis/CA Advisory Board & Vicar, St. Aidan's, Bolinas

The Rev. Stacey Grossman, Rector, Church of the Nativity, San Rafael

The Rev. Bavi Rivera, Rector, St. Aidan's, San Francisco

The Rev. Rosa Lee Harden, Vicar, Holy Innocents', San Francisco

Mr. Kevin Jones, Holy Innocents', San Francisco

Minh & Jeff Huebner, Good Shepherd, Belmont

Mr. Nicolas A. de Ruijg, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Jaime Borrazás, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Mark W. Smith, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Fred H. Marett, Jr., St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mark Dresser & John-Christopher Thomas, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Harvey T. Cochien, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Donald L. Stover, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Timothy M. Dobbins, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Brad Pethoud, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Robert D. Craig, Jr., St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Ms. Jacqueline Cherry, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Dr. Bonita Ann Palmer, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. William Rates, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

The Rev. Dr. Bonnie Ring, St. John's, Oakland

Dr. Robert S. Brooks, Good Shepherd, Belmont

Mr. Jeffrey Bledsoe, Trinity Church, San Francisco

Kimber and John Guzik, Good Shepherd, Belmont

Ms. LeAnn Y. Mitchell, St. Peter's, Redwood City

Mark Cappetta & Gerry Arrieta, St. Peter's, Redwood City

The Rev. Paul A. Burrows, Rector, Church of the Advent, San Francisco

Ms. Sarah Stone, St. Mark's, Berkeley

Ms. Deborah Gavrin Frangquist, St. Aidan's, San Francisco

The Rev. Robert Warren Cromey

Ms. Tassie Jenkins, Good Shepherd, Belmont

Michael B. Music, Hospitality Coordinator, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

The Rev. Terri Ann Grotzinger, Vicar, Holy Family, Half Moon Bay

The Rev. Peter Lawson

Sister Bernie Galvin, CDP, San Francisco

Robert & Valerie Flood, San Francisco

Michael Howard, Trinity Church, San Francisco

David Duffey-Leon & Juan Leon-Duffey, Trinity Church, San Francisco

The Rev. Richard Smith, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Skip Ordway, Church of the Good Shepherd, Berkeley

Ms. Rebecca Gordon, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Paul Goercke, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

Mr. Ethan Flad, Member, Diocese of California Commission on Peace and Justice

Ms. Lisa B. Key, St. Mark's, Berkeley

The Rev. Dr. Michael A. Backlund

Ms. Nancy Evans, Saint Mark's, Berkeley

The Rev. John M. Gallagher, St. James', San Francisco

Mr. Leslie F. DeLashmutt, Jr., St. Mark's, Berkeley

Ms Sarah Crawford, Church of the Resurrection, Pleasant Hill

Ms. Gertrude Allen, All Souls' Parish, Berkeley

Carl Hendrickson & John Neitzel, Oakland

Mr. Joe Wilson, Trinity Church, San Francisco

Gene Levake & Michel Arendareff, Vallejo

Dr. Doris Howard, Holy Innocents', San Francisco

Ms. Lori Lamma, Church of the Incarnation, San Francisco

Ms. Lori Erokan, Church of the Resurrection, Pleasant Hill

Mr. Tom Veitch, Church of the Advent, San Francisco

Ms. Heather Greene, St. Timothy's, Danville

Ms. Melinda Griffith, St. Aidan's, Bolinas

Ms. Nancy McDonald, St. Aidan's, Bolinas

Mr. James Marquiss, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

Mr. Rodney Anderson, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

Mr. Kevin E. Crispin-Alfieri, St. Mark's, Berkeley

Mr. A. J. Alfieri-Crispin, St. Mark's, Berkeley

Ms. Fiona Dunbar, St. Matthew's, San Mateo

The Rev. Pamela Higgins, Associate Priest, Holy Trinity, Richmond

Ms. Charlotte Morris, Holy Trinity, Richmond

Bill & Carole Tripp, Trinity Church, San Francisco

Ms. Sandra Harris, Jr. Warden, Trinity Church, San Francisco

Mr. Andrew Harris, Trinity Church, San Francisco

Ms. Lois (Lodi) Webb, Trinity Church, San Francisco

The Rev. Gary and Bob Russell-Ost, Walnut Creek

Linda Johnson & Leif Youngquist, Antioch

Oonagh Ryan-King, Oakland

The Rev. Robert Moore, Holy Trinity, Richmond

Ms. Rebecca Plassman, St. Mark's, Berkeley

Kate and Bill Crawford, St. Paul's, Oakland

Ms. Sarah Lawton, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Scott Sullivan, St. Mark's, Berkeley

Mr. Charles Post, St. Aidan's, Bolinas

Mr. Thomas Dibblee, St. Aidan's, Bolinas

Ms. Karen Keating, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Ms. Marie Fowler, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Alfred Robinson, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Stephen L. Griffiths, St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco

Mr. Donald A. Feaster, Trinity Church, San Francisco

The Rev. Louis K. Newton, Church of the Advent, San Francisco

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