The Dear Gay Anglicans Letter
In February 2021, Anglican clergy released the Dear Gay Anglicans Letter to welcome gay agnostics curious about getting to know Jesus in an Anglican context and gay Christians committed to a traditional sexual ethic. After controversy, the Letter was taken down at the request of Bishop Martin Minns. Learn more about the Dear Gay Anglicans Letter at https://linktr.ee/deargayanglicans.
Below is a final reflection from me as the author and organizer of the Letter:
Thank you for all of the encouraging messages and inquiries about my well-being. I'm sorry for being short or non-responsive. It's been more than a month since the ACNA Statement was released. I'm tired, but also thankful and hopeful.
Drafting the Dear Gay Anglicans Letter started with great hope of sending a welcoming message to gay agnostics curious about getting to know Jesus in an Anglican context and gay Christians committed to a traditional sexual ethic. The initial signatories were intentional not to contrast, contradict, challenge, defy, or criticize the ACNA Statement.
Instead, we took great care to respect, honor, and defer to the College of Bishops. We (1) complimented, never criticized the Statement, (2) only used "same-sex attracted/ion" in sentences that referred to the Statement, (3) never used "gay Christian" or modified "Christian", and (4) used "same-sex attracted/ion" most frequently. Based on conversation with leadership shortly after the Statement was released, the Dear Gay Anglicans Letter did not violate the requirements dictated by the Statement.
During a prayer gathering with initial signatories before the Letter was released, I prayed with tears that critics would read the words in the Letter. I prayed that despite disagreement about pastoral strategy, those watching the ACNA would be surprised by the unity in response to the Letter. Before releasing the Letter, I personally emailed many of these individuals, offered my phone number, and invited them to call me.
No one called.
Instead, many developed an interpretation of the Letter beyond the words on the page and offered painful reactions. Global leaders in the ACNA accused me of "dissenting", "misleading", "undermining", and spreading "the deadly virus of homosexuality" that must be "expunged and excised". ACNA priests publicly accused me of being a "heretic", "championing sin", "pushing the lie of their father, Satan", and being of "a different religion". They called for my excommunication, for me to be barred from discerning ordination, and for leaders to "cut off the cancer and send a message"—all while celebrating civil laws in Africa that punish gay people for the mere suspicion of gay sex. At the same time, these priests repeated the tired lie that I sin merely by experiencing same-sex attraction and that I should daily feel guilty and repent of these temptations.
But ultimately, the Dear Gay Anglicans Letter accomplished a lot of good, and I am hopeful for the ACNA.
A meaningful minority of ACNA leaders at the highest levels publicly embraced gay Christians committed to a traditional sexual ethic. First, a bishop representing the largest ACNA diocese and over 50 churches offered pastoral guidance. Then in just 36 hours, the Dear Gay Anglicans Letter gained 140 signatures including 2 more bishops and 40 more priests from 10+ dioceses across North America. Many ACNA churches and priests publicly confessed the sins of the Church against gay people and committed to practical action on behalf of gay Christians committed to a traditional sexual ethic. I am so thankful for the courage of these priests and look forward to collaborating on the longterm work in their local churches.
Please pray that relations with African provinces strengthen and they redouble their efforts to protect gay people from hate crimes. Please pray for those who don't know Jesus and found the Church less beautiful because of bad-faith criticism. Please pray for the churches and priests that had the courage to send a welcoming message to gay people.
