B033-related legislation to move to House of Deputies
Episcopal News Service -- Anaheim, California. July 11, 2009 [071109-05]
Pat McCaughan
An amended version of Resolution D025, concerning Episcopal elections and the Anglican Communion, is expected to move to the House of Deputies despite a July 11 split committee vote, possibly as early as Monday.
D025 is among more than a dozen B033-related resolutions submitted for consideration during the 76th General Convention July 8-17 in Anaheim. The World Mission Legislative Committee (WMC) received 13 resolutions; a WMC subgroup designed to work on framing a resolution to offer for a convention vote, elected to amend D025 from among the 13 "as a template" from which to address B033, according to the Rev. Ian T. Douglas, a committee member designated to speak with media representatives.
B033, adopted by General Convention 2006, was widely regarded as a moratorium on consecrating gay bishops.
It called on standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction "to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on the communion," which was assumed to pertain mainly to homosexual priests living opening in committed relationships.
B033 resolutions were assigned to the WMC because Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies Bonnie Anderson thought a key question to be considered was "how do your decision in this church affect our sisters and brothers in Christ in the Anglican Communion" which falls under world mission, Douglas said.
Following a public hearing and several late-evening and early-morning sessions, a WMC subgroup offered an amended version July 11 for committee review and approval. After cordial discussion and revision, "perfecting the resolution and passed it handily" the vote split between the two houses -- with deputies voting 24-2 for approval and bishops rejecting it 3-2 -- appeared to come as a surprise.
Afterwards, Douglas said: "I am very moved by the way the deputies on the world mission legislative committee were able to trust the process, including the Committee of the Whole sessions and the legislative hearing and then, based upon what we heard and experienced in these sessions, were able to come together in an effective, positive, forward-looking manner and I believe that the work of this committee was both faithful to and led by the Holy Spirit."
Despite the split vote, the measure will move to the House of Deputies since the committee on dispatch decided it is the house of initial action "and we're recommending it be adopted," Douglas said.
When asked why the measure failed with bishops, he replied: "You'd have to ask the bishops that. For some reason or another, while participating in the process when it came time for the vote, three of them couldn't support the final product."
Among other things, D025 reaffirms the continued participation and commitment of the Episcopal Church within the Anglican Communion and living into "the highest degree of communion possible." It also acknowledges that gays and lesbians have exercised various ministries, and "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."
D025 also acknowledges that not all members of either The Episcopal Church or the Anglican Communion are of one mind and that "Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters."
Bishops serving on the committee caucused privately immediately after the vote, and later declined to comment about the vote. Bishops serving on the committee include the Rt. Revs.: Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island, chair; Jean Zache Duracin of Haiti; Dena Harrison, Suffragan Bishop of Texas; William Skilton of South Carolina/Dominican Republic and Charles Keyser, retired of the Armed Forces. Bishop Leo Frade of Southeast Florida and Assisting Bishop E. Don Taylor of New York were listed as committee members but were not present.
Douglas, who is also a member of Executive Council and a clergy member of the Anglican Consultative Council, said that according to legislative rules, D025 travels next to the House of Deputies for consideration.
If deputies approve it without amending it, the measure will go to the House of Bishops "and they will have to deal with it, while their committee has recommended reject, because of the 3-2 vote."
If deputies amend the measure, it will be sent back to committee for further work.
Rosie Dickson, 21, an Anglican Consultative Council International Youth Representative who had been observing committee deliberations said she was disappointed by the vote. "For the bishops to essentially throw out" the resolution "is quite defeating. I don't understand how the process works," she added. "It just seems to go around in circles.
Harry Akehurst, 21, another youth observer, from Scotland, called the vote "surprisingly blunt, especially given the pace at which the committee was working to get the legislation out."