"It is not accurate to say that The Episcopal Church authorized same-sex marriage," Bishop Lillibridge explained in a video to his diocese following the 2012 General Convention. It was Bishop Michael Smith (XI North Dakota) who read the Indiana Statement on behalf of his brother Communion Partner bishops to his brother and sister bishops in the Episcopal House of Bishops. This time, only 12 bishops were signatories Bishop Lillibridge was not among them. The 2012 General Convention passed Resolution A-049 again, dissenting bishops signed a declaratory statement denouncing the passage of the controversial resolution. Bishop Lillibridge read the Anaheim Statement in the House of Bishops.īefore the 2012 General Convention met in Indianapolis, Indiana, Lillibridge appointed a 50-member Focus Group to "consider our response as a diocesan family to Resolution A-049." The West Texas bishop charged his Focus Group to approach the same-sex blessing issue with "Christ-like compassion and prayerful theological reflection." At the 2009 General Convention, he voted against Resolution D-025 to "Reaffirm Participation in the Anglican Communion While Acknowledging Differences" which "affirm(s) that God has called and may call such individuals (gay & lesbians) to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church and Resolution C-056 to "Develop Liturgies for Blessings Unions and Provide Generous Pastoral Response" which "honor(s) the theological diversity of this Church in regard to matters of human sexuality."įollowing the passage of twin 2009 General Convention resolutions, three dozen bishops banded together and penned a five-point Anaheim Statement where they affirmed their commitment to The Anglican Communion, fearing that the passage of D-025 and C-056 could undermine The Episcopal Church's place in The Anglican Communion.
Since his 2004 elevation to the House of Bishops, West Texas Bishop Lillibridge has been considered a theological conservative. "This issue of (partnered gays and homosexuality in the church) has been on the front burner since that General Convention's approval," he told the 109th Diocesan Council. Ten years later, in his Bishop's Address to the 2013 Diocesan Council, Bishop Lillibridge described Bishop Robinson's affirmation by General Convention as a "tremulous event." In fact, he is seated only one chair away from Bishop Robinson in the Episcopal House of Bishops only Bishop Dean Wolfe (IX Kansas) separates them at the HOB table's assigned seating arrangement. The homosexual issue has always been on the forefront of church discussion during Bishop Lillibridge's entire episcopate.
This was the backdrop that Gary Lillibridge, then Archdeacon for the Diocese of West Texas, was elected bishop against. Then New Hampshire's Canon to the Ordinary Robinson was the first publically open gay-partnered clergyman to be elected an Episcopal bishop. Lillibridge was elected the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of West Texas in October 2003, on the heels of the 2003 General Convention's approving of Vicky Gene Robinson's election as the Ninth Bishop of New Hampshire.