Words from a pope mean something to some people. Personally, I was raised Lutheran, so I grew up already excommunicated by the Vatican...as Lutherans had been for centuries.

But I have to admit I had expected better from Francis.

Good morning, my dear friends of c99, from a rainy morning in southern Ontario. Great weather for ducks. My primary interest is spirituality and I really should get to it sometimes, eh :=) I would like to show you a drawing by my daughter the genius illustrator (this is called Dad-bragging.) I think mostly in images and I asked her to draw the tree of consciousness image that lives in me. More below.

I've said before, on numerous occasions, that I am not particularly religious. But I belong to a community which does not experience wide-ranging acceptance. We are excluded more often than not.

So it should not be a surprise when I highlight any call for us to be welcomed into any community.

Bishop Gene Robinson, who is now a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, has written and published Transgender Welcome: A Bishop Makes the Case for Affirmation. According to the CAP reuse policy, I may publish Bishop Robinson's document in its entirety if I follow a few rules.

Thisdocument was published by the Center for American Progress

This document is a love letter to the transgender community, both a “thank you” and a “welcome” to transgender people. It comes out of my experience of learning so much—about sexuality, gender, and myself—from transgender people. It springs from my belief that God is enriching the lives of us all by bringing transgender people and their insights into our experience and understandings. This resource is an attempt to recognize transgender people as the gift they are to our understanding of God and God’s love.

God is up to something, as God often is! And this time, it’s personal.