The Diocese of Minnesota has provided a test case following General Convention of how The Episcopal Church will respond to another possible bishop living in a same-sex relationship.

The Rev. Bonnie Perry, rector of All Saints' Church, Chicago, is one of three nominees to become the ninth Bishop of Minnesota.

The other two nominees are the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, rector of St. John's Church, Minneapolis, and the Rev. Brian Prior, rector of Church of the Resurrection, Spokane Valley, Wash., and vice president of General Convention's House of Deputies.

Ms. Perry directly addressed the question of her sexuality at two points in her responses to the diocese's nominating committee. In a one-page autobiography, she referred to the relationship by writing, "The Rev. Susan Harlow, my partner now of 22 years, and I moved to Chicago in 1992."

In response to a question about individual and diocesan discernment regarding the next bishop, Ms. Perry mentioned that she stood for election in the Diocese of California in 2006 but has declined other opportunities since then.

"Until yours, I have not read a compelling diocesan theology," she wrote. "I am also aware in the current worldwide Anglican climate it may be very difficult for me, an out, partnered lesbian, to be elected and/or to receive consents. ... I am entering this discernment process now because I was invited and because your vision of a spiritually transformed, culturally appropriate, networked diocese has made me cry with hope for what could be."

In response to a question that mentions the diocese's wish to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, the other two nominees affirmed that wish.

"St. John's is a welcoming congregation for gays and lesbians," Ms. Budde wrote. "We offer sacramental blessings of relationships, support gay and lesbian candidates for ordination, and GLBT members exercise ministry throughout the congregation."

Fr. Prior "grew up in a family where my parents had friends and socialized with both gay and lesbian couples," he wrote. As such it was not challenging for me when in both high school and college a number of my closest childhood friends told me they were gay or lesbian. Frankly, it was not until I was in college and began serving in the larger church that I became painfully aware of the level of homophobia, sexism, racism, ageism and bigotry in both our church and the larger culture. My entire scripting was based on an assumption that everyone was not only welcomed, but also encouraged to be full members of the community."

The nominees wrote about many issues other than sexuality.

Ms. Perry wrote about a moment that helped her realize she was not a good match for the Diocese of California. "One man said, 'You don't even look like a bishop -- how can I vote for you?' I nodded, took a deep breath and replied, 'I may not look like a 20th century bishop and I certainly don't look like a 19th century bishop, but there is every possibility that a 21st century bishop might bear some resemblance to me.'"

Ms. Budde wrote of a formative time in her teenage years: "I attended an Episcopal church as a child, but my first conscious experiences of Jesus were in the context of a fundamentalist church that I was drawn to as a teenager. That faith community gave me a place to belong and also prompted my first crisis of faith, for I could never reconcile the love of God that I felt there with its exclusivist understanding of salvation. I was living in Colorado with my father at the time."

Fr. Prior, responding to a question about dealing with conflict, described a time when his parish debated whether to add an altar rail -- a question that had been neglected as the parish planned its new worship space.

He does not say what decision the parish made, but he described the discussions:

"… we undertook an architectural historical study of the use of church railing. This information was then shared with the entire congregation. From here we used an <i>appreciative inquiry</i> approach and held a series of prayerful conversations with interested individuals in the congregation about their experience and perspective on the altar rail. With non-anxious leadership being key, opportunity was provided for learning, as well as listening and affirming a variety of perspectives that led to a clear sense of what our community was being called to."

The nominees will visit the diocese Oct. 19-24, and the electing convention is scheduled for Oct. 30-31. A consecration is planned for Feb. 13, 2010.

Douglas LeBlanc