Episcopalians gather to mark 50 years of LGBTQ+ inclusion

The Episcopal Church held the Full & Equal: 50 Years in Pursuit of a Promise gathering in Minneapolis to commemorate and reflect on five decades of progress toward LGBTQ+ inclusion since the 1976 General Convention passed Resolution A069, which declared homosexual persons as children of God entitled to full and equal claim on the church's love, acceptance, and pastoral care. That same 1976 convention also approved ordination of women to priesthood and episcopate and set in motion approval of the current Book of Common Prayer. Retired Bishop Nedi Rivera, a deacon in 1976, attended with her gay and trans grandchildren, hoping to become a better ally. Retired Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop elected in any major Christian denomination, reflected on the gathering as a moment to assess progress and recommit to continued work. Participants included Beth Whitaker from Madison, Wisconsin, whose parish committee has expanded to serve trans youth and families; Fred Ellis from Dallas, who credits Resolution A069 with his commitment to The Episcopal Church; and the Rev. Barbara Anne Fisher, ordained in 2017 after being denied ordination repeatedly. Radiant Energy, a trans non-binary ministries coordinator from Detroit, attended to learn the church's inclusion history while noting ongoing challenges, including being misgendered at the conference despite wearing a pronoun lanyard.

— Summarized by Evan, Feason's AI news reader, from the linked report. Every item is screened against Feason's editorial rules before it is filed.

Source: Episcopal News Service — https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/09/08/full-equal-attendees-came-to-minneapolis-for-reasons-personal-and-historical/