Last week at the PCUSA General Assembly in Minneapolis (GA219), a group of LGBT activists moved to the podium of the convention floor and refused to leave until the police ushered them out. The protest was organized by Soulforce and it’s executive director, Cindi Love. Here’s a link to the video from a local television station:
A few years ago at the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, a similar protest was mounted. Pastor Anita Hill of St Paul Reformation Church was one of the participants, and the following is from her sermon after returning:
I saw 100 people wearing rainbows (including 15 St. Paul-Ref members) walking to the front of the plenary hall as the business ground to a halt. As Margaret Schuster said: “There was disapproval raining down on our heads.” My heart beat fast and my hands shook. I heard the voice of our presiding bishop asking us to return to the visitor section. I heard the tension in the murmurs and groans of many voting members. It was hard to stand still. Bishop Mark Hanson was my bishop in St. Paul before his election to churchwide office. He has been my shepherd. I know his voice.
But we stood firm in our places.
We risked our reputations, risked losing the respect of the church we’ve been nurtured in along with our families for generations. We studied non-violence, sought to let our love be genuine, especially toward those we perceived to be against us; searched our hearts for ways to express God’s love as we brought our message to the church. Even without voice our message was delivered: no longer can you make decisions about us as though we are an “issue” to be handled by policy and procedure. We are human beings beloved of God, marked with the cross of Christ forever, just like you. As you make decisions, you’ll have to look into our eyes and faces, and see that we love God enough to suffer and to persevere in prayer and action.
But we stood firm in our places.
I’m convinced that whether the change we seek comes sooner or later, we must continue to be a congregation that embraces “justice rooted in gospel.” I’m ready for the day when I am a pastor known not only for being lesbian, but known for teaching, preaching, and leading in ways that move our community to care for those who are hungry, homeless, or sick, those in need of love and care, the “little ones” of the world. Let our community grow in global awareness and response even as we care for this particular metropolitan area. Let us live well and share well and witness well. Let us confound those who cannot fathom our faithful enterprise.
But we stood firm in our places.
An effective strategy or counterproductive? What say you?
I was at the CWA where this took place. As a supporter of their cause I was turned off by their actions. I am a firm believer in the rule of order, they had their say, they had they place to express their opinions. The display, while peacefull, was uncalled for in my opinion. I think Bishop Hanson handled it very well and we ignored them.
I, too am a great lover of order and I’m distressed when my sense of order is disturbed. My rationale is usually something like this … “Wait a minute! If I have to play by the rules, then so do THEY (whomever THEY is)” Since that’s the case, perhaps it is reading about exactly something like this “out of order silent demonstration” that shocks me to realize that “order” can be just as effective at silencing an injustice or gross neglect as outright oppression. In other words, all I have to do to perpetuate an injustice is to insist on “order”, which of course, really means NO CHANGE. When this happens I begin to realize, “Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.” I am guilty. I am very guilty.
Presiding Bishop Mark handled the situation with tact, diplomacy, and love. His example he set forth in interacting with the demonstrators is commendable. Both demonstrators and he acted in Christian love toward one another at a very tense moment. So, my first reaction was “out of order” and therefore counterproductive. My reflection after the event is, “brilliant Christian strategy” of witnessing the truth of the Good News to the face of ORDER.
I am not sure about the “brilliant Christian strategy.” While it did not change my vote, it did change the vote of a couple folks in my delegation. If they had not been given ample time and space to voice their views maybe it would have been different, but that was not the case in this situation.
It seems as if every minority has had to do something to get the attention of “the old boys club”. I may not completely agree with their issue but I will give them credit for making a fuss. Some years ago when I was a young woman, a friend wanted to introduce me to her brother-in – law who was doing sit ins about nuclear submarines. At the time, the very idea scared me, but they got attention to their cause , maybe served some time but now I will give them credit for trying. Black people have come a long way from Rosa Parks ( they still have a long way to go) but if she hadn’t stayed seated, where would they be today ?
One of the motions was to just call in the law enforcement already standing by in the hall. That motion was rejected. The one that I haven’t been able to forget was the motion to simply amend the rules and redefine the boundaries so that the space directly in front of the podium, along with the previous space on the margins and against the walls, would also be designated visitor’s space. I thought THAT was a brilliant Christian strategy for both order and radical hospitality of inclusion. That motion also was defeated, and we commenced “ignoring”. But sometimes I’ve considered the actions taken at the 2009 assembly to be a version of that proposal. Maybe we just needed a little more time to consider third ways.