General Convention in Denver Finds New Ways to Deal with Difficult Issues
Episcopal News Service. July 19, 2000 [GC2000-084]
(ENS) As bishops and deputies gathered in Denver for the 73rd General Convention of the Episcopal Church, there was a sense of expectation mixed with a simmering hope that they could find a way to deal honestly with difficult issues and still maintain the unity of the church.
Over the 10 days of convention (July 5-14), their patience and determination was tested, especially on sexuality issues, but also on implementation of a canon opening all orders of ministry to women in all dioceses of the church. And yet as the convention's theme of "Jubilee" seemed to permeate all aspects of the gathering, it appeared as though Episcopalians might have found a more positive way to deal with their differences.
As if they needed a reminder that sexuality was still the thorniest issue they would face, bishops and deputies were welcomed to the Colorado Convention Center on July 13 with a demonstration by Soulforce, an ecumenical, gay rights organization that had demonstrated at Presbyterian and Methodist conventions earlier in the summer.
But legislative committees and open hearings, not demonstrations, dominated the first few days of the convention, as committees of both houses sifted through almost 200 pre-filed resolutions and another 50 filed during the first two days. Cognate committees have been a crucial component in the legislative process for the last few General Conventions, and they seemed to be especially effective in Denver.
Most attention was focused on Special Committee 25, appointed by the presidents of the two houses to deal with all sexuality resolutions. The committee's open hearings, co-chaired by Bishop Arthur Williams of Ohio and lay deputy Rebecca Snow of Alaska, were heavily attended and filled with passionate conversation.
It was clear from the beginning that there was considerable sympathy among the bishops and deputies in the search for a "middle way," a more effective and less confrontational way to deal with the issues.
Pamela Chinnis, finishing her term as president of the House of Deputies, said in her last opening address from the chair that Jubilee was a time for "stillness" but also a time of action.
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold wasted no time in reminding the convention that many diverse understandings of sexuality were apparent in the church. And he said that the Special Committee was not attempting to manipulate the agenda but rather looking for the "best way forward." He expressed a hope that the church would remember, in all its deliberations and decisions, but especially in recognizing one another's struggles, that they were part of the much larger community of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
"The middle ground is where the energy is going to be," predicted Herb Gunn, a lay deputy from Michigan who served as one of the briefing officers for the press. Others agreed, if somewhat cautiously, that early signs indicated a different tone from previous conventions.
Bishop Clifton Daniel of East Carolina, also a briefing officer, said that the bishops had worked hard over the last few years "to learn effective ways of working together." He added that "compared with previous conventions, I have approached this one with eagerness and confidence."
Bishop Catherine Roskam of New York, another briefing officer, added that it would be unrealistic not to expect some intense politicking but that it was a sign of the church's vitality.
In what some regarded as an early sign of a more conciliatory climate, the House of Deputies in one of its earliest actions rejected a resolution that would have brought sanctions against those dioceses that do not pay their "fair share" in support of the national church and its programs. Some deputies said that the sanctions would be too political.
But Committee 25's first resolution, which called for a pastoral teaching and study guide on the "sin of heterosexism" as well as continued dialogue on human sexuality, seemed an early test of Griswold's hope that the convention would move away from confrontation. After several amendments, the deputies agreed to the continuing dialogue but rejected a study of heterosexism.
"Whatever happened to the 'Decade of Evangelism?" seemed to be the question on many deputies' minds in the debate over concurrence with the House of Bishops evangelism resolution. The resolution calls for the Episcopal Church to double its baptized membership by 2020. Objections were raised to a numerical goal, but other deputies argued that the lack of such a goal was what "doomed" the Decade, which began with great fanfare in 1990 and actually saw a decline in the number of Episcopalians for most of its ten-year span.
Still other deputies worried that concentrating on numbers would miss the point of evangelism with Gen-Xers and following generations. The point, they reminded the house, is relationship, not membership.
"It's not just about inviting one person to church. It's about what happens after that," warned the Rev. Michael Kinman of Missouri. "It's about saying that our church is, yes, a great gift to share, but that an equal gift is the Gospel.... It is the difficult but rewarding work of letting the Spirit shape and change us in unexpected and painful ways."
To make certain that vision is implemented, Executive Council is directed to establish a "20/20" task force whose goals include "recruiting, educating and training evangelists and church planters who were born after 1964 and/or are people of color," and training leaders in second-language skills and cross-cultural sensitivity. The task force has a year to report back to Executive Council.
Mindful that nothing gets done in the church without money, another component of the plan is the establishment of the "Alleluia Fund: Build my Church," a new initiative to provide funding for new church planting and revitalization of existing congregations. Money for the Alleluia Fund will be gathered during Easter 2002 and presented on the Day of Pentecost 2002, a process to be continued for the next 10 years.
Excitement over the proposal for full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was building as a decision for the new relationship loomed early on the agenda.
Griswold, who before convention opened had dedicated a Habitat for Humanity house built in Denver by Lutherans and Episcopalians, shared his own hopefulness at an opening press conference.
He said that the proposal, "Called to Common Mission (CCM)," was one that "invites us to yield some of our sense of ourselves and the uniqueness of our tradition, both by sharing some of ourselves and by making some adjustments in our tradition for the sake of unity."
The House of Bishops addressed the proposal in a special order of business on July 7. Despite some lingering differences on how each church orders its ministry, there were few serious objections among the bishops and it passed easily, with only 19 hands raised in opposition.
There was even less opposition among deputies, who lined up at the microphones to describe the growing relationship with the Lutherans. "It is not marriage or a merger of our two churches," said the Rev. Donald Brown, chair of the house committee on ecumenical relations. "Each church will retain its own liturgical, theological and organizational uniqueness and integrity." The final vote in favor was overwhelming.
In response, the Rev. Lowell Almen, secretary of the ELCA, told the house that "God has opened a magnificent door before us." Based on the experience of full communion between Lutherans and three Reformed churches he predicted that "wonderful surprises await us."
At a news conference following the historic vote, Almen read a greeting from ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson who said, "Adoption of CCM shows the world a new way to be one in Christ. Helping the world to believe must always be our priority as we work out our new life together."
Anderson joined Griswold for a morning Eucharist later in the convention where they exchanged chalices as a symbol of the new relationship. Griswold said that adoption of CCM was "an invitation to open our borders. Only time will determine how CCM will transform the life and witness of the churches."
Anderson said that the agreement is also a gift to the rest of the Christian community, one that reinforces hope for "reconciliation and mutuality." Both he and Griswold agreed that it would have far-reaching implications for the whole ecumenical movement, in this country and many other parts of the world.
A liturgy on January 6 at Washington National Cathedral will officially inaugurate CCM.
Halfway through the convention, the Committee 25 discharged all other resolutions dealing with sexuality, except for an eight-part resolution affirming traditional marriage while calling for a liturgical rite to support "relationships of mutuality and fidelity other than marriage." The resolution said that the church expects all lifelong, committed relationships to be characterized by "fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful honest communication and holy love."
The committee was unanimous on the first seven resolves but split on the eighth resolve's call for a rite, which presaged the resolve's mixed reception in both houses. The resolution intentionally did not refer to blessing same-sex unions.
The debate in the House of Deputies on the resolution was regarded as so important that the bishops suspended business so that they could listen from the gallery.
After an emotional exchange, in which many deputies argued that an affirmative vote would threaten the unity of the church, the House of Deputies voted by orders. Clergy approved the call for a liturgical rite by one vote, but the laity rejected it by two votes. The house, however, easily endorsed the first seven resolves.
Reaction after the vote seemed to center on whether the church was ready to move toward blessing same-sex relationships. Even many of those who favor such a move seemed to agree that the time was not right.
When the amended resolution went to the House of Bishops it provoked an even more heated debate, especially when Bishop Clark Grew of Ohio offered an amendment that would restore the call for a liturgical rite to bless faithful relationships outside of traditional marriage. It failed by a vote of 85 to63 but not until it had been subjected to a vigorous and occasionally acrimonious debate.
Opponents warned of serious damage to the church while advocates said that the step was largely a question of justice. Others warned of the impact in the rest of the Anglican Communion. In the end the bishops voted overwhelmingly, 119 yes to 19 no with four abstentions, to concur with the House of Deputies on the first seven resolves. A "mind of the house" resolution committed the church to form a committee to continue the study of human sexuality.
Later the bishops also concurred with the deputies on a resolution that encourages the Boy Scouts of America to allow adult leaders to serve regardless of their sexual orientation.
In the closing days of the convention deputies and bishops tackled an issue almost as emotionally charged as the sexuality issue -- implementation of the 1976 canon opening the ordination process to women in all dioceses.
Despite threats of a walk-out, the deputies voted overwhelmingly to press for implementation in the three dioceses that have not yet fully complied with the canon. While noting some progress in San Joaquin and a "lack of progress" in Ft. Worth and Quincy, the resolution calls for a task force to visit the dioceses and monitor progress.
In terse debate some deputies deplored what they called a "new spirit of legalism," but others argued, 24 years after the canon was passed, that "the time has come." Deputies from the three dioceses pleaded for tolerance, pointing out that the tone of the resolution violated the spirit of Jubilee.
The debate was even more difficult in the House of Bishops but, after two grueling hours, the bishops concurred with the deputies on the resolution seeking implementation of the canon. The task force will "visit, interview, assess and assist" the dioceses in their efforts, making semi-annual reports to meet a September 1, 2002 deadline for compliance.
A substitute motion by Bishop John Lipscomb of Southwest Florida, calling for a less adversarial approach under the direction of the presiding bishop, drew strong support across theological boundaries, including several women bishops. It was defeated narrowly, but later passed as a "mind of the house resolution."
At a closing press conference, Griswold said that the highlight of the convention for him was not the legislative jostling but the gathering around tables each day for Eucharist -- and especially the Jubilee Eucharist.
Many deputies and bishops agreed, a number of them citing the decision of the presiding bishop to preach each morning as a powerful, unifying force for the convention.
"I realize that we are here, yes, to do legislation, yes, to make decisions. But we were also here primarily as persons of deep, deep and palpable faith. And that dimension of who we are was writ largely in the context of that Jubilee day," Griswold said. He also lauded the quality and respectfulness of the debates, especially the one over recognizing committed relationships outside of marriage. "I think we are learning what it really means to be a church that can contain tension and difference in a graceful way, and recognize Christ in one another."
Chinnis, who yielded her office on the final day, said that this convention was "the most irenic" she had experienced, going back to the 1976 convention. The exchange of chalices by the Lutheran and Episcopal presiding bishops was a particular highlight, she said.
Despite initial criticism, Chinnis said the decision that she and Griswold made to appoint the Special Committee 25 to deal with sexuality resolutions had clearly turned out to be "grace-filled."
As a symbol of transition, the Rev. George Werner, new president of the House of Deputies, joined the press conference.
Having survived her first General Convention, as its Executive Officer the Rev. Rosemari Sullivan, was clearly relieved that the gathering had gone as well as it did. She added that the Jubilee recess early in the convention, while somewhat risky, also did a great deal to build trust and acceptance.
Chinnis said she is convinced that "communication and understanding will lead both to greater efficiency in our legislative work and to greater likelihood that our collective discernment will be shaped by the Holy Spirit rather than by our own limited and often fearful agendas." Bishop Catherine Roskam offered a similar sentiment in an earlier press briefing: "We may not be of one mind but we are of one heart."
Bishops and deputies will have a new opportunity to test that theory -- at Minneapolis in 2003.