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Closet to the convention floor: The journey and struggle for LGBTQ+ inclusion from the inside The Episcopal Church

July 12, 20191:00 pm1:50 pm
The polity of The Episcopal Church resulted in the path towards full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in The Episcopal Church to be an internal journey and struggle. Those involved have remained members of the church, both lay and ordained, as they engaged in the struggle as their
authentic selves. Clergy were not defrocked when they came out of the closet. In most situations lay leaders were not
removed because they were queer. (There have been some exceptions.) This is rather different from most faith communities.
The presentation will discuss the journey that began in the 1970’s and continues to this day as being LGBTQ+ becomes less
and less an issue for the vast majority of the church. The results of this struggle has led from the closet to being elected
representatives on the convention floor of the church at large as well as at regional and local levels. This has resulted in the
ordination of openly LGBTQ+ deacons, priests, and bishops and lay leaders at all levels of the church.
12:00 am Bruce Garner
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