A. Rather than creating just another program, we said we have got to go deeper. Because laws can change behavior, and must change behavior, but laws don’t change hearts. We’ve got to be about the work of changing and transforming hearts. And that happens by deepening real sustained relationships, and listening to and telling and sharing of our life stories.

Q. One of the most visible roles you have is to represent the Episcopal Church in the global Anglican Communion. At a meeting in January, you tried to make the connection between the exclusion and bigotry experienced by black people and the exclusion of gay people, telling primates of other Anglican provinces, many of whom are from Africa and have rejected the Episcopal Church’s decision to bless gay marriages, “I stand before you as your brother, as a descendant of African slaves.” What impact did that have on them?

A. What I was attempting to do was to describe the deep pain for L.G.B.T. folk who’ve had to live with not being accepted by the church of Jesus Christ. And sometimes by families and loved ones, and by society. I wanted my brothers to know that our actions would bring them real pain. I said, anytime anybody is excluded, it hurts. I can tell you in all honesty my brothers listened. They did listen.

Q. The primates still voted overwhelmingly to sanction the Episcopal Church.

A. I knew that was coming. But I wanted them to know, and I meant that sincerely, that this love of God is big enough to embrace all of us, and even embrace us in our disagreements. Love is big stuff, and it can save us all.

Q. Over the years, I have heard from many Episcopal leaders and laypeople the notion that those who are opposed to gay marriage and gay equality will eventually come around. That they will eventually realize they are on the wrong side of history.