Resolution Number: 1988-D008
Title: On the Topic of the Canon on General Provisions Respecting Ordination
Legislative Action Taken: Rejected
Final Text:

Resolution Rejected by Non-concurrence. See Legislative History for original text of the resolution.

Legislative History

Author:
Originating House: House of Bishops
Originating Committee: Committee on Ministry

House of Bishops

Original Text of Resolution:

(D008)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring That Title III, Canon 8 be amended by adding a new Section 2 as follows (and renumbering subsequent Sections):

"No one shall be denied access to the selection process for ordination in this Church because of race, color, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, physical disabilities or age, except as otherwise specified by Canon "

The Committee on Ministry presented its Report #37 on D008 (Amend Canon III.8, access to ordination) with no recommendation by the Committee.

The Suffragan Bishop of Texas moved to discharge the Committee.

Motion carried

Committee discharged

The Bishop of California moved Resolution D008.

The Bishop of West Texas moved to table Resolution D008. A division in the House was called for:

Aye - 56 No - 67

Motion to table defeated

The Suffragan Bishop of Texas moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Replace the word "one" with the words "no member of this Church" and delete the words "because of race, color, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, physical disabilities, or age" and the word "otherwise."

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

The Bishop of West Texas moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Add the sentence, "No right to ordination is hereby established."

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

The House voted on Resolution D008 as amended.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #265)

House of Deputies

The Committee on Dispatch of Business moved adoption of Special Rules of Order for consideration of D008a.

Motion carried

Rules suspended

The Committee on Ministry presented its Report #44 on House of Bishops Message #265 relating to Resolution D008a (Amend Canon III.8, Access to Ordination) and moved concurrence.

The Dioceses of Northern California, Fond du Lac, and Eau Claire called for a vote by orders on D008a and any amendments to D008a.

Deputy Coyne of Western Massachusetts moved an amendment to D008a.

Proposed Amendment:

Following the sentence ending with the words "specified by canon":

add the sentence, "It is not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual, or any person who is engaged in heterosexual relations outside of marriage."

Debate on the Coyne amendment followed.

Deputy Carpenter of Northern California withdrew Northern California's request for a vote by orders on this amendment to D008a.

A vote was taken on the Coyne amendment to D008a.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

Deputy Chassey of Upper South Carolina moved a Substitute to D008a as amended.

Proposed Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Canon III.8 be amended by adding a new Section 2 as follows (and renumbering subsequent sections): No one shall be denied access to the selection process of ordination except as provided by the Canons of this Church.

The question was called on the Substitute for D008a as amended.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the Chassey Substitute for D008a as amended.

Motion carried

Chassey substitute adopted

Reconsideration of Chassey Substitute was moved.

Motion defeated

Deputy McCarty of Florida moved to table the Substitution.

He was ruled out of order.

There was an appeal to the Chair.

A vote was taken on whether to uphold the ruling of the Chair.

Motion carried

Chair sustained

The President ruled that the Substitute adopted is a Canonical revision.

Deputy Guernsey of Virginia appealed the decision, requesting a ruling that the Substitute is only a Resolution of the House.

A vote was taken to sustain the ruling of the Chair.

Motion carried

Chair sustained

Ballot #11 was taken by orders on the Chassey Substitute for D008a as the main motion.

The Secretary announced the results of Ballot #11 by orders on the Chassey substitute for D008a, as the main motion:

Lay Yes - 68 No -36 Divided -8
Clerical Yes -72 No -34 Divided -7

Motion carried

The House concurred with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #314)

House of Bishops

The Bishop of South Carolina moved to amend the Order of the Day to take up Resolution D008a.

Motion carried by a two-thirds majority

The Committee on Ministry presented its Report #48 on House of Deputies Message #314 on Resolution D008a (Amend Canon III.8, Access to Ordination) without a recommendation for action by the House.

The Bishop of Colorado moved to concur.

The Bishop of Eau Claire moved to postpone to a time certain of 10:00 a.m.

Motion carried

The Suffragan Bishop of Texas moved the following.

Proposed Resolution:

Resolved, That the mind of this House is that passage of this resolution does not have the effect of repealing any former action of the General Convention.

A division in the House was called on the Suffragan Bishop of Texas' resolution:

Aye - 47 No - 57

Motion defeated

Discussion continued on Resolution D008a.

The Chairman of the Committee on Dispatch of Business moved to limit all speeches on this matter to two minutes.

Motion carried

The Bishop of Rhode Island moved as an amendment the original Resolution as passed by this House.

Proposed Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That Title III, Canon 8 be amended by adding a new Section 2 as follows (and renumbering subsequent Sections):

Sec. 2. No one shall be denied access to the selection process for ordination in this Church because of race, color, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, physical disabilities, or age, except as otherwise specified by Canon. No right to ordination is hereby established.

Motion carried

The House concurred with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #375)

House of Deputies

The Committee on Dispatch of Business moved the adoption of a resolution empowering a Committee of Conference to confer on D008a.

Motion carried

Report approved

The Committee of Conference moved its Report on Resolution D008a.

Proposed Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Title III, Canon 8, be amended by adding a new Section 2 as follows (and renumbering subsequent sections):

No member of this Church shall be denied access to the selection process for ordination in this Church except as specified by Canon. No right to ordination is hereby established.

Debate followed.

Deputy Randolph of Fort Worth moved to amend the Committee of Conference Report on D008as.

Proposed Amendment:

Add the sentence, "It is not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual or any other person engaged in heterosexual relations outside of marriage."

Debate followed on the Randolph amendment.

The question was called on the Randolph amendment.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

The deputations of Minnesota and New York and the clerical deputation of Newark called for a vote by orders on the main motion, the Committee of Conference Report.

A vote was taken on the Randolph amendment to the Committee of Conference Report on D008a.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

The deputations from Minnesota and New York and the clerical deputation from Newark withdrew their motion to vote by orders on the Committee of Conference Report on D008a.

There was a motion to table the main motion.

Ruled out of order

Deputy Pretti of Rio Grande appealed the decision of the Chair that a motion to table was out of order.

Chair sustained

The lay deputations of West Tennessee, South Dakota and New Jersey called for a vote by orders on the Committee of Conference Report on D008a.

Ballot #18 by orders was taken on the Committee of Conference Report on D008a.

The Secretary announced the results of Ballot #18 on the Committee of Conference

Report on Resolution D008a (Amend Canon III.8, Access to Ordination)"

Lay Yes -54 No -45 Divided -10
Clerical Yes -64 No -37 Divided -7

Report rejected

The House failed to concur

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #331)

House of Bishops

The Bishop of Rhode Island reported that the following recommendation was made by the Committee of Conference on Resolution D008a (Amend Canon III.8, Access to Ordination), HD Message #331.

Proposed Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That Title III, Canon 8, be amended by adding a new Section 2 as follows (and renumbering subsequent sections):

Sec. 2. No member of this Church shall be denied access to the selection process for ordination in this Church except as specified by Canon. No right to ordination is hereby established.

No action taken

The Secretary announced that Message #331 had been received from the House of Deputies, in which it reported non-concurrence with the Committee of Conference's Report on Resolution D008a.

The Bishop of Rhode Island moved that the Committee of Conference be discharged from further consideration of the matter.

Motion carried

Committee discharged

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #417)

Resolution Rejected: Adopted by One House Only.

Abstract:   The 69th General Convention rejects the resolution amending and renumbering Canon III.8 regarding general provisions about ordination.