he Episcopal Church is soon to be facing some very divisive issues at its General Convention which has convened in Minneapolis.

The issue which faces this church is homosexuality. There are two forms in which this issue will be addressed. One has been brewing for years, and that is the request from some parts of the church to have a provision for celebrating and blessing gay and lesbian relationships in church. This issue may take form around a proposed rite for such a blessing which may be proposed for inclusion among the official rites of the church, not in the prayer book, but in a supplemental book called the Book of Occasional Services. And the other form of the issue is the election of the first openly gay bishop in this church, Gene Robinson, who has been elected by the Diocese of New Hampshire.

As is often the case when issues about sexuality arise in this church, voices have become strident and tempers hot. Some have threatened to leave the church. Not just individuals, but perhaps even whole parishes and maybe even a diocese or two. On the international level, the church, some of the larger and influential parts of the Anglican Communion around the world are seeking to stop our church from taking either of these divisive actions. Threats have been made to break communion with us—that is, to separate themselves from our part of the church.

It is enough to make one pray ardently for peace in this divided church. And that is a good idea. But to achieve genuine peace, several things have to take place in a specific order, and that is important.

Before we can have peace, we have to have reconciliation, and before we have reconciliation, we have to have some measure of justice. Peace without justice is dishonest; peace without reconciliation is illusory.

Whatever you may think about the particular man who has been elected Bishop, for certain, he has been elected. Overwhelmingly. By a small, but variegated diocese in New England.

They view him as qualified, he meets the canonical standards set by this church, and to refuse to allow him to be ordained would be unjust not only to him, but also to those who have chosen him as their Bishop.

This is an issue of justice and integrity. Justice must come first. And then reconciliation.

Those who are at enmity with each other need to come together after the controversy, whichever way it goes, and keep the church together, if at all possible. Christianity is always about people coming back together with each other and coming back together with God. We often describe sin as separation from God and from each other, and in order to be reconciled, we need to reach out again toward each other, to be willing to be drawn together in mutual appreciation and respect—no matter which way the controversy goes at General Convention.

And, then, when we have done what is just, and made ourselves agents of reconciliation, we will have genuine peace. We will have the peace which comes from the honest confrontation of differences, hearing even strident voices raised with strong conviction, and the enthusiasm which comes from speaking about those issues which are religious in character—that is issues which are questions of ultimate importance, those things for which we are willing to take stands.

When we have acted justly, strived to reconcile, and achieved genuine peace, only then can the healing of the church begin to take place.

By the Rev’d Lloyd Prator, Rector
Saint John’s in the Village
Episcopal Church, New York City