Episcopal Bishops Drawn to a 'New, Deeper Place' at California Meeting
Episcopal News Service. April 13, 2000 [2000-068]
Jerry Hames
(Episcopal Life) Meeting in isolation at a conference center high in the San Bernardino mountains March 30-April 4, about 135 Episcopal bishops contemplated issues such as the proposal for full communion with Lutherans, preparation for General Convention, and a communique issued at a March meeting of the Anglican Communion's 38 primates.
"We've arrived at a new, deeper place," said Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold at a press conference, describing frank conversations he witnessed among bishops. He said he saw more mutual respect and a greater concern for the church's common good than ever before.
"We've been forced to that deeper place by some concerns -- some dividing issues and tensions that have to be approached in a new way. We seek to honor those with a different view as we move to some new place that God has yet to reveal."
They also heard lectures from Ronald A. Heifetz, director of the Leadership Education Project at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, who explained strategies for leadership development. Author of Leadership with No Easy Answers, Heifetz discussed the difference between authority figures and leaders who create an environment that enables change to take place.
The bishops took three actions during their meeting -- clarifying the provisions of the proposal for full communion with the Lutherans; supporting Alaskan Native-Americans and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and agreeing to a leadership role they will seek to model at the General Convention.
They reportedly had little discussion, and issued no statement, about the irregular consecrations in Singapore of Charles H. Murphy III and John H. Rodgers Jr., both former Episcopal priests who have returned to the U.S. as "missionary bishops."
"We'll just have to see how that plays out," said Griswold at the press conference. "One doesn't know where this is going to go."
While Griswold said he saw bishops developing an "increasing sensitivity" for one another's views, he said it was unrealistic to expect or assume any change in diocesan practice. "Theology is lived out in specific contexts," he said. "Diversity will continue to express itself. I cannot imagine any diocese altering its perspective [on ordaining homosexuals in committed relationships or blessing same-sex unions] as a result of either the bishops' or the primates' meeting," he said.
The bishops issued a statement pledging to work cooperatively at General Convention. "We seek to find the means through which to speak to the House of Deputies as a community, rather than only in terms of individual voting."
Some issues, they said, need examination within a larger context, and they suggested that dealing with them by vote is not wise or practical. They promised "a pastoral letter or supportive statement" at the end of convention, to be held July 5-14 in Denver.
"I felt it was a very irenic meeting," said House of Deputies President Pamela Chinnis, a guest at the bishops meeting. "Even people with whom I suspect I disagree philosophically were warm and welcome. I couldn't help wishing that if the deputies could have seen the bishops in action, it would have given them a very different opinion of the House of Bishops.
"I left the meeting feeling very hopeful for the convention, and when I write to the deputies [next month] I intend to be very open with them about the good feeling I had there," she added. "I hope that will contribute to the graciousness of spirit and dealing with one another at General Convention."
In a second public statement, the bishops underscored their understanding of the "Called to Common Mission" agreement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) to be voted on at General Convention. Their statement follows increasing resistance by some Lutherans to the document, especially the requirement that Lutherans adopt the historic episcopate.
Bishop Christopher Epting of Iowa, who represented the Episcopal Church on the drafting team, said the bishops made six points to clarify understanding for Episcopalians. "The statement makes clear what text has always said," according to Epting.
The bishops reiterated their expectation that Lutheran bishops will participate in the ordination of new pastors, warning that exceptions would mean that those clergy would not be interchangeable.
The bishops also said that, although Lutheran laity may be licensed by their bishops to preside at Holy Communion on rare occasions, this practice is not acceptable to Episcopalians and CCM makes no provision for the practice.
Epting said the bishops responded because they heard there might be some non-compliance by Lutherans. "It's messier than we hoped for," he said bluntly, but he predicted that the historic document, the result of a dialogue over 30 years, would be approved.
Bishop Coadjutor Mark Sisk of New York said the bishops do not intend to tell ELCA members what they must do, "That's their own decision to make," he said. "We are articulating our own understanding of the document and [what we've said] is entirely consistent with the text. I don't think it's a deal-breaker."
The bishops expressed pastoral support and concern for the native Gwich'in people in Alaska and for the permanent protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
"Our church has had an active mission in this part of Alaska for nearly 150 years," said Bishop Mark MacDonald of Alaska. "The Gwich'in are among the most traditional in their reliance on the caribou. Oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge threatens the health of the caribou and the future of the Gwich'in."
The refuge is being proposed for oil development. The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the measure prior to General Convention.
In presenting the communique from the Primates' Meeting, Griswold said that he stressed the fact that one church's action can be felt far beyond its borders. "We must be mindful that any actions we take formally and officially as a church may have serious consequences throughout the Anglican Communion," he said.
Donald Mtetemela, archbishop of Tanzania, and Johannes Seoka, bishop of Pretoria and vice-chair of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa, were guests at the House of Bishops meeting.
"Their presence and their reflections helped our bishops to a deeper appreciation of the contexts of brother and sister Anglicans -- the heavy burdens in term of poverty and world debt, HIV/AIDS, civil unrest, the negative aspects of globalization and the increasing militancy of Islam," Griswold said. "We were encouraged by hearing some of the heroic ministry that is being carried out in the name of Jesus Christ."
In an April 6 letter to his fellow primates, Griswold noted the point made during their meeting together that "this age of instant communication makes us all vulnerable to misrepresentation and misinterpretation -- thus making the need for personal contact and correspondence all the more urgent." Griswold said he intends to invite guests from overseas at future meetings of the bishops.