This day in history: Openly lesbian woman Elizabeth Carl is ordained as priest in Episcopal Church in 1991
The subject of homosexuality has been a rather precarious one in terms of the religious worldview of sexuality and social institutions. For millennia, it has been considered an act worthy of condemnation as it defies religious teachings and the 'laws of nature'. Christianity, in particular, and all its following denominations, ostracize homosexuals and same-sex relationships. However, over the last few decades, the LGBTQ+ community has been elevated to an uplifted status, thanks to the various revolutionary movements and activists who fought to claim its rights. This has prompted widespread debate among various faiths, while Christian denominations are still struggling with questions about homosexuality and the clergy. But there are some denominations that have, in fact, welcomed homosexuality and accepted LGBTQ+ individuals with open arms.
The Episcopal Church is based in the United States with additional dioceses spread throughout the world. It is the member church of the Anglican Communion, which originated when Henry VIII split England from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534 when the pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn. The church operates under the direction of two legislative bodies, namely, the House of Deputies (lay and clergy representatives across the church) and the House of Bishops (all bishops of the church). In 1976, both the Houses voted for a fully inclusive Episcopal Church and stated that "homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the church." With the legalization of same-sex marriages in the US, the Episcopal Church also incorporated it within their theological laws and passed two resolutions in 2015. In 2009, the Episcopal Church passed a resolution stating that "God's call is open to all", and eliminated any discriminatory barriers for electing bishops and approved transgender ordination in its 2012 general convention.
But a certain woman made history, 29 years ago. On this day — June 5, 1991 — 44-year-old Elizabeth Carl became the first lesbian woman, in an open relationship, to be ordained to the Episcopal priesthood. She was ordained in a traditional ceremony at the Church of the Epiphany. At the time, Episcopal Church did not exactly disallow the ordination of homosexuals, Jeffrey Penn, a spokesperson at the Church's New York headquarters, told UPI in a news report dated June 5, 1991. However, he added that it did pass the resolution in 1979 which said that it is 'not appropriate to ordain practicing homosexuals or those engaging in sexual relations outside marriage'. And while she isn't the first homosexual to be made a priest in the Episcopal church, her ordination is of particular relevance for how it was handled by her and the church officials.
Carl hailed from Houston, Texas, and was raised a Methodist but later joined the Episcopal Church while she was studying in college. She received a graduate degree in library science from the Catholic University of America and had also previously worked at the Library of Congress for 16 years. Her journey towards ordination began in 1985, 11 years after the Episcopal Church started ordaining women as priests. She graduated with a divinity degree from the Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1990, and served as the assistant minister at the Church of the Epiphany, before her ordination. Carl's ordination came as a shock to the then-presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Edmond L Browning. He cited that the church had been discussing the issue of ordaining homosexuals, but in a statement released by his office in New York City, he said that the "events such as the ordination in the Diocese of Washington can trigger the sort of attention that may make positive dialogue more difficult and polarize the church". He also admitted to asking the Bishop of Washington to reconsider the ordination for the "good of the whole church".
However, the Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Ronald H Haines, wasn't keen on ordaining gay church members either. In a statement released on the day before Carl's ordination, he said, "The ordination of one whose lifestyle involves sexual relations outside of marriage troubles me greatly. There are, in my view, scriptural passages and historical teachings of the church that appear to be at odds with ordination of homosexuals and that cannot easily be answered or put aside." On the contrary, he added that when a candidate has displayed "strength, leadership, spirituality, intellect, moral understanding and commitment to Christ", the Bishop said, "reservation regarding the candidate's sexuality and lifestyle" should not be an impasse for an ordinance. Speaking about Carl, he noted in a New York Times article dated June 6, 1991, that she "has for a number of years openly lived in a loving and intimate relationship with another woman".
Amid the ordination, Bishop Haines was compelled to ask the attendees as a part of the ritual, "If any of you know any impediment or crime because of which we should not proceed, come forward now and make it known." He was faced with two protesters against Carl's ordination, saying her lesbianism was a hindrance that "prevents total commitment to Jesus", and that her sexual lifestyle made her unsuitable for priesthood. But Bishop Haines ruled it out by saying it was information that he had himself considered "prayerfully and fearfully". He then addressed the congregation, asking, "Is it your will that Elizabeth be ordained a priest?" to which they all collectively responded with "It is". The ceremony then culminated with the ringing of the church bells in joyous celebration.