Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, [not yet of course], That the 76th General Convention reaffirm the continued participation of The Episcopal Church in the Anglican Communion; give thanks for the work of the bishops at the Lambeth Conference of 2008; reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention encourage dioceses, congregations, and members of The Episcopal Church to participate to the fullest extent possible in the many instruments, networks and relationships of the Anglican Communion, and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm its financial commitment to the Anglican Communion and pledge to participate fully in the Inter-Anglican Budget; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm the value of "listening to the experience of homosexual persons," as called for by the Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998, and acknowledge that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships "characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (2000-D039); and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships have responded to God's call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, which call is tested through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church, as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience, disagree about some of these matters.
7 comments:
I think this is the best possible outcome. We reaffirm our desire to remain in communion without being untrue to ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and the baptismal covenant.
My quick observations are:
1. The structure of these resolutions is odd to me. All of them are propositional, save for the last which is proclamation. I'm not sure what I mean by noticing this, but to me it is just odd;
2. I'm reminded of St Paul once again when, in speaking of taking on the identity of Jesus, one is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, etc. One of St Paul's points is, of course, that until we absolutely die to self (both individually and corporately and in desire and agenda), we will never truly have the identity of Jesus.
If we take any one of the resolutions as seriously as we take any of the others that you have listed (and we don't really have a choice not to), we must also affirm the viewpoint of those with whom we disagree.
Again, all will be made right (or wrong) in how we act, not in what we say.
I think this is a truthful resolution.
As I read it, D025 says that gay & lesbian Christians will continue to be a part of the discernment process for the episcopate, which they have been in a few elections since B033 was passed in '06. D025 doesn't order the Bishops to give their consent if a GL candidate is elected. So, it doesn't seem to actually "repeal" B033.
OTOH, if Ruth Gledhill is accurate, then ++Rowan has interpreted the resolution as a repudiation of the "moratorium." Sometimes, it's not the Congress that wrote the law who decides what it actually says, but the Supreme Court.
There isn't a word in it that I disagree with. I had to pray a little over the last paragraph -- do we really HAVE to say that people I disagree with are "Christians of good conscience" even if they won't say the same about me? -- but then the Holy Spirit mentioned that business about turning the other cheek, and walking the extra mile, etc., so yes, I think it's good.
And yes, the ABC is right that this means the end of the moratorium. We've observed a de facto and de jure moratorium for six years now. That's enough.
I think this is a truthful statement of where we're at. I think it is a profoundly untruthful statement by ommission of how we were toward fellow siblings three years ago.
Christopher,
Good to have you back - did you end your blog-fast?
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