Convention Adopts Major Education Package
Episcopal News Service. July 14, 1988 [88148]
NEW YORK (DPS, July 14) -- Christian education emerged as a priority of the Episcopal Church for the next three years.
The House of Bishops concurred with the House of Deputies giving final General Convention approval to preparing effective leadership churchwide with a far-reaching program of Christian education.
The package will renew and strengthen educational ministry, with a clear focus on mission, through: (1) leadership training and cultivating awareness of leaders as educators; (2) preparation of a manual to lift up a vision of education in congregations; and (3) using computers and developing software.
The program, which carries a $2.7 million, three-year price tag, easily cleared both houses. The resolutions called for a major overhaul of a Christian education program for the Church that was developed by a task force created by the 1985 triennial Convention to "strengthen the Church's educational ministry."
While the package of resolutions does not specify a curriculum for Christian education at the parish level, it calls on the Education for Mission and Ministry unit of the national Church to develop "clear, practical guidelines for planning and implementing Christian education in different contexts."
The program commits $900,000 a year over the coming triennium for the undertaking.
In other actions related to education, Convention approved the following:
- Commend use of International Consultation of Anglican Liturgists' document "Children and Communion."
- Recommit to supporting and improving public school education, particularly in urban and rural areas.
- Set aside funds annually for planning and implementing National Student Gatherings.
- Assist each diocese in preparing an updated daily calendar in English and Spanish for general distribution.
- Request Executive Council study Episcopal day schools' demographics and evangelistic and educational opportunities.