BY ANDREW DAVIS AND AMY WOOTEN
Rev. Jeffrey Lee, the next Episcopal bishop of Chicago who said that he supports the full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the church, will be consecrated Feb. 2 at House of Hope, which is headed by Rev. ( and State Sen. ) James T. Meeks, who has taken anti-gay stances in the past, including voting against the gay-rights bill that passed the Illinois General Assembly in 2005.
On Nov. 10, Lee, rector of St. Thomas Church in Medina, Wash., was elected by a wide margin in a race that garnered global attention because one of the nominees was Rev. Tracey Lind, a lesbian priest who is dean of Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio. Lind came fourth in the voting.
Lind would have been the Episcopal Church's second openly gay bishop, after the 2003 consecration of New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson. His election created a rift, and some parishes chose to break away from the church as a result.
In addition to acts such as the aforementioned vote, Meeks has made anti-gay statements and has described homosexuality as 'an evil sickness.'
'As far as the site for the consecration goes,' Lee e-mailed Windy City Times, 'it has been chosen by leaders in the Diocese of Chicago for any number of reasons, leaders who are sensitive to the issues of inclusion and I trust their decision has been made with the good of all in mind.'
The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago appointed a transition committee, and one of its tasks was to find a proper venue for the event.
'The reason, the sole reason, I believe, House of Hope was chosen was because of the size and location and proximity to public transportation,' said Mike Perillo, president of the committee.
The venue can seat approximately 10,000 people, and the church hopes to attract a large crowd.
'That's as far as it goes,' Perillo said. 'We've had no issues, problems or concerns [ regarding the venue ] . Quite the contrary.'
So far, Lee has indicated that he is supportive of an ongoing discussion regarding lesbians and gays in the church. In his essay distributed to delegates, Lee addressed what he called the 'polarizing' debates around sexuality in response to a question regarding the critical issues facing the church today. Lee said that as a leader, the main task is to listen. He wrote, 'For instance, in the parish I try hard to listen deeply to people who are concerned or troubled by developments in the church around sexuality and what I discover over and over again is that the issue is rarely the real issue.
'Someone may be deeply troubled by the liberalization of the church's practice around the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church, but what lies at the root of their misgivings is some hurt or brokenness in their family. Once you uncover that pain in a safe way you can begin to move through it to a place of understanding.'
Rev. Deborah Lake of Sankofa Way is disappointed that Lind was not chosen. 'Rev. Lee talks the talk of Jesus when he says that he stands for the full inclusion of LGBT people,' she stated via e-mail. 'He talks the talk when he says that he has a duty to communicate his understanding of God's call to the church. … At the same time, though, Lee walks the walk of a heretic by supporting the decision of the Episcopal bishops to exercise restraint in approving another gay bishop. He walks the walk of a heretic when he supports the decision to refrain from authorizing prayers that would bless same-sex couples.'
According to The Chicago Tribune, when Lee was questioned about his position regarding homosexuality, the 50-year-old bishop-elect responded, 'I believe God is calling us to full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the ministry of this church. … There is a place for everyone in the church, and the church has to catch up with God's vision.'
Lee will be seated as head of St. James Cathedral Feb. 3. He will succeed Bishop William Persell.
Meeks did not respond to Windy City Times' request for comment prior to deadline.
