First, if it were a casual acquaintance, I wouldn't dignify the remark with a response, other than a frosty glare. That business about not feeding trolls, and all that!
But if it seemed to be a legitimate question from a personal friend who has gained an impression about Episcopalianism, then I'd need to respond, and much of the following is what I'd say:
Over the years, the Episcopal Church has attracted gay people, for a number of reasons. One is its willingness to stand for social justice and tackle tough issues head-on. Another, which invokes a stereotype but has a little validity behind it, is that many homosexuals are attracted to the ceremony and panoply of services in many of our churches. A third is that, by and large, we are among the most welcoming and affirming of denominations towards homosexuals.
We tend to focus very heavily on God's unconditional love and compassion, and very seldom on issues of sin. Repentance for us seldom means turning
away from sin so much as it means turning
toward new life in a commitment to Christ. We tend to look on sin not as "sins" -- discrete acts that are prohibited by God's law -- as "sin" -- the state of estrangement from Him and inability to perfectly do His will. We cannot be perfect as He is perfect; we cannot at all times and in all conditions perfectly love Him with all our heart and soul and mind; we find it hard to love any one neighbor as ourself, much less the whole gamut of other people. The General Confession at the Eucharist sums up our understanding of sin and repentance well:
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
We generally welcome and affirm gay people who choose to join us, and do not get into a detailed analysis of their sinfulness. Rather, like any Christian, they are asked to renounce sin, repent, and turn to Christ for their salvation, in general terms that does not focus on their sexuality.
Many Episcopalians have become convinced that committed unions of gay people are not the sins against which Scripture speaks. Others are not so sure of this, though they also do believe in careful Biblical exegesis with attention to the time and culture of the human writer taken into account. But as a general rule, whether or not we see their sexuality as sinful, we leave it to the Holy Spirit to work within them to sanctify them and draw them to repent of what He sees needs repenting of and at the time and circumstances He believes them ready for it. Almost like Baptists, there is a strong sense among Episcopalians of individual responsibility to get right with God, with a concomitant attitude that others are in general not to interfere except on a purely friendly basis.
In any case, we see homosexuality as no bar to membership and even leadership, as the highly controversial consecration of Bp. Gene Robinson amply demonstrates. And, because rightly or wrongly many (most) gay people see the stances of other churches as condemning them as individuals, not merely their sins but them as people, there's been a strong tendency among gay people who have found Christ to affiliate with our church.
So in a real sense it's not an insult but a compliment. We've provided a church home for people who feel ostracized elsewhere. And, after all, Paul points out that we are "called to be a peculiar people."
Hi Brother Polycarp:
