Retired Episcopal bishop reveals he's gay - Otis Charles

Christian Century, Nov 3, 1993

In a denomination torn by the issue of homosexuality, a retired Episcopal bishop who formerly headed one of his churchs divinity schools has disclosed that he is gay. The bishop, Otis Charles, revealed his sexual orientation in a letter to the churchs bishops disclosed during a weeklong bishops' meeting that ended September 30 in Panama City, Panama. His announcement drew harsh reactions from a conservative church leader but sympathy from the rector of one of the denomination% largest congregations.

Charles, former bishop of the diocese of Utah and recently retired dean of the Episcopal Divinity School in.Cambridge, Massachusetts, wrote in his letter: "In isolation and darkness, I felt that there must be something wrong with me. I turned to others for help. I prayed with all my heart to be healed. Nothing changed. I was still me, pulled apart inside by feelings I schooled myself to believe were unnatural." Charles, 67, said that God performed a "marvelous and miraculous work" in his life when he prayed for his deliverance with a counselor, but his healing took a form other than what he expected: "To my surprise, [the deliverance] was not from homosexuality, but from my fear of myself, from my discomfort about who I am."

Todd H. Wetzel, executive director of Episcopalians United, a conservative renewal group based in Shaker Heights, Ohio, that has consistently challenged the rights of homosexuals in the church, reacted harshly to Charles% announcement. "Here is another leader who supported the gay agenda for a self-serving motive," he charged. "I know there are other bishops who are gay but have not openly identified themselves," he said. "Frankly, that is whats so insidious about this."

But George Regas of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, a longtime advocate for gay and lesbian rights in the Episcopal Church, contended that Charles should be "accepted and loved as a gay man" and that he should not be disqualified from the ordained ministry "if he lives a responsible Christian life."

In 1976 Charles informed his wife, Elvira, and a married couple close to them that he was gay. However, he chose to remain silent publicly, which left him inwardly troubled. Charles described his decision to come out as a "personal one," not driven by "some incident or misconduct that has come to light." Charles said the years since his disclosure to his wife have been "wrenching" for the two of them. so much so that after 42 years of marriage they "have come to realize that we must live our lives separately."

Regas, whose church has 3,000 members and 10-12,000 people in the pews on Sundays, said he was disappointed that Charles waited until he retired from his deanship at the seminary before making the announcement. But he also said he understood the former bishop's predicament. "I understand why most clergy stay closeted. The Episcopal Church is punitive, rejecting and unloving to gay and lesbian clergy. We see them as flawed. This makes it almost impossible for a clergyperson to be honest about a gay identity."