"Why are you spending so much time in Minnesota?" my friends have been asking me lately. It’s a fair question; after all, I’d only been to the state once before this year. I’ve tried to explain about the upcoming General Convention of the Episcopal Church – two weeks in Minneapolis this summer, and endless preparatory meetings beforehand – but to the uninitiated, it can sound baffling.
General Convention is usually a world unto itself. More than 10,000 visitors will descend on the Twin Cities this July, and far too many will spend their only free time walking between the convention center and nearby hotels. With daily meetings during this whirlwind church event that often last from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m., and with Minneapolis’ famed skywalk system – about 60 downtown blocks of interconnected skyways – some conventioneers may choose to never step outside!
That would be a shame. The state and the local church have a great deal to teach us. Personally, I’ve always been intrigued by Minnesota. Its tourist propaganda is obviously appealing for outdoors lovers: beautiful lakes, forests, rivers and wildlife (they downplay the mosquitoes, of course). But the urban culture is also enticing: Every child of the ’80s grew up on the-artist-who-once-was-known-and-we-think-is-now-again-known-as Prince. He gave the Twin Cities instant credibility as a home for funky, multiracial music and culture. Moreover, with all due respect to this publication’s episcopal-centric audience, he did more for purple clothing than centuries of bishops have (just check out my sister’s wardrobe from that era).
Most of all, during the past half-century the state developed a reputation as a bastion for progressive politics – names such as Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Paul Wellstone represent elements of that legacy. The local church was a corresponding model of liberal faith-in-action: Ministries addressing anti-racism, environmental justice, peacemaking and indigenous concerns have all grown out of the Diocese of Minnesota and its partner religious communities.
Things are changing quickly, and not for the better, in the view of its progressive citizens. Over the past couple of years, conservatives in the state have assumed positions of political control, and Minnesota’s lower and middle-class populations are struggling. Severe budget cuts mean that fewer social and educational resources are available to the indigenous peoples, long-time Euro-Americans and new immigrants who make up the region’s growing polyglot of life. The ecology is also under attack, with pristine regions targeted for commercial use, and a nuclear waste fight involving native peoples, energy developers, environmentalists and legislators. These issues are not confined to one state, of course. Minnesota’s political challenges reflect the economic and religious battles facing many of our communities.
This issue of The Witness raises up some of the justice and peace concerns in that land so that our readers will have a sense of the world laying just beyond General Convention – whether you are coming to Minneapolis or not. And don’t think for a minute that we’re ignoring the Convention itself. In this issue you will find commentaries that look toward the Minneapolis debates. Offering even greater depth is a series of 10 "position papers" that The Witness will be publishing this month. These papers, addressing some of the hot topics at the upcoming Convention, will be downloadable from our website and available in hard copy in Minneapolis. Church watchers should also print out and memorize "Do Justice, Make Peace, Be Accountable," the platform sponsored by "The Consultation," the coalition of progressive Episcopal organizations, of which we are a founding member.
Collaboration is indeed our key theme this summer. If you are coming to Minneapolis, join us for our reception and awards ceremony on August 2 (see ad on p. 7), which we will cosponsor with the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. Visit our booth, which we’re sharing with the Episcopal Urban Caucus and other friends. Read Issues, the daily paper of The Consultation, and a new daily to be published by the Every Voice Network, both of which we’ll be contributing to. Rejoice that the Convention will offset its CO2 emissions by purchasing eco-friendly "wind tags," thanks to a partnership between the Regeneration Project and Native Energy, supported by our colleagues in the Episcopal Ecological Network. Participate in the Hiroshima Day observance on August 6, the Feast of the Transfiguration. Support the Claiming the Blessing initiative so that God’s equal love for all can truly be lived out in our church. Learn about our new internship at the Anglican United Nations office, and meet Ranjit Koshy Mathews, a seminarian who is the first person to work in this exciting ministry. Indeed, we are working together with progressives from around the church toward Minneapolis, and we hope that you will join us there, in body or spirit.