| Resolution Number: | 1991-B003 |
|---|---|
| Title: | On the Topic of the Canon on Regulations Respecting the Clergy |
| Legislative Action Taken: | Rejected |
| Final Text: | |
Resolution Rejected. See Legislative History for original text of the resolution.
| Citation: | General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Phoenix, 1991 (New York: General Convention, 1992), p. 181. |
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Legislative History
| Author: | |
|---|---|
| Originating House: | House of Bishops |
| Originating Committee: | Committee on Ministry |
House of Bishops
Original Text of Resolution:
(B003)
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That a new Canon 17 be added to Title I, subsequent canons to be renumbered accordingly, to read as follows:
CANON 17
Of Regulations Respecting the Clergy
It is expected that all Members of the Clergy of this Church, having subscribed to the Declaration required by Article VIII of the Constitution shall be under the obligation to abstain from sexual relations outside of Holy Matrimony.
[On the fifth day] the Committee on Ministry presented its Report #5 on Resolutions B045 (Same-Sex Unions and Ordination of Homosexuals), B003 (Sexual Relations outside Holy Matrimony), D080 (Homosexual Orientation and Behavior as Related to Ordination), D026 (Access to Ordination Process without Discrimination) and C032 (Access to Ordination Process) and moved that the Committee be discharged.
The Bishop of Eau Claire requested that the House vote on each resolution separately.
The Chair of the Committee on Dispatch of Business moved the previous question [on B003].
Motion carried
Debate terminated
The House voted on the motion to discharge the Committee.
Motion carried
Committee discharged
(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #96)
House of Deputies
[On the sixth day] the Secretary announced that the following message had been received from the House of Bishops: HB Message #96--B003 (Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony). The House of Bishops Discharged the Committee.
The Committee on Dispatch of Business presented its Report #37a and moved a Special Order of Business for the purpose of considering resolutions B003, A104s, and C032.
A vote was taken on Committee on Dispatch of Business Report #37, Special Order of Business, as amended.
Motion carried
Special Order adopted with amendment
The Committee on Dispatch of Business moved that the Special Order of Business for the purpose of considering resolutions B003, A104s, and C032 be postponed and that the House proceed with the calendar until the message from the House of Bishops on A104s has been printed and circulated.
Motion carried
Special Order postponed
Deputy Newell of Ohio moved to suspend the Rules of Order to postpone the Special Order of Business on the Committee on Dispatch of Business Report #37a, until 3:15p.m., Wednesday, July 17.
The question was called.
Motion carried
Debate terminated
A vote was taken on the Newell motion.
Motion defeated
The President called on the Chaplain to lead the House in prayer.
The Committee on Ministry presented its Report #12 on Resolution B003 (Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony) and moved the Resolution, recommending that it be rejected.
At the same time the chair of the committee noted that a minority of the members of the committee recommended adoption of the resolution as amended by the House of Bishops, their report being attached. [ See History Note.]
Original Text of Resolution:
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That a new Canon 17 be added to Title I, subsequent canons to be renumbered accordingly, to read as follows:
CANON 17
Of Regulations Respecting the Clergy
It is expected that all Members of the Clergy of this Church, having subscribed to the Declaration required by Article VIII of the Constitution, shall be under the obligation to abstain from sexual relations outside of Holy Matrimony.
The minority report recommended adoption of the B003, with amendment.
Proposed Amendment (Minority Report):
CANON 17
Of Regulations Respecting the Clergy
It is expected that All Members of the Clergy of this Church , having subscribed to the Declaration required by Article VIII of the Constitution, shall be under the obligation to abstain from genital sexual relations outside of Holy Matrimony.
The lay deputation of Newark, the lay deputation of East Tennessee and the clerical deputation of Northern Michigan requested a vote by orders on B003.
After the allotted twenty minutes, the debate on B003 was terminated.
Deputy Kinslow of Oklahoma moved to amend Report #37a of the Committee on Dispatch of Business to revise the order for voting on the Resolutions before the House to: (1st) A104s as amended; (2nd) B003; and (3rd) C032.
The question was called.
Motion carried
Debate terminated
A vote was taken on the Kinslow motion.
Motion to amend the Special Order defeated
A moment of silence was observed before the House cast the vote on B003.
Ballot #21, on B003 (Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony).
Ballot #21 taken by orders
Ballot #21 was distributed.
[On the seventh day] the Secretary read the results of Ballot #21 on Resolution B003 (Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony) by diocese and order.
Results of Ballot #21
The following deputations chose to be polled:
| Central Florida - Lay | ||||
| Mr. Charles H. Tindal | yes | |||
| Thomas R. Bates, M.D. | yes | |||
| Mr. George C. Dannals | yes | |||
| Mrs. Carole Ross | yes | |||
| Colorado - Lay | ||||
| Mrs. Kay Harlan | yes | |||
| Mr. Lynn R. Alexander | yes | |||
| Mr. John T. Rohde, Jr. | yes | |||
| Joan H. Lamb | yes | |||
| Fort Worth - Clergy | ||||
| The Rev. Charles A. Hough III | yes | |||
| The Rev. Keith L. Ackerman | yes | |||
| The Rev. Samuel L. Edwards | yes | |||
| The Rev. Martin Nelson | yes | |||
| Fort Worth - Lay | ||||
| Mrs. Judy Mayo | yes | |||
| Mr. Robert Allen Beadel, Sr. | yes | |||
| Mr. Robert Randolph | yes | |||
| Mr. George Midgley | yes | |||
| Mississippi - Clergy | ||||
| The Rev. Joe O. Robinson | no | |||
| The Rev. Ruth B.W. Black | no | |||
| The Rev. Lowell E. Grisham | no | |||
| The Rev. David Augustus Elliott III | no | |||
| Mississippi - Lay | ||||
| Mr. Michael Jackson Chaney | yes | |||
| Ms. Suanna Smith | no | |||
| Mr. James Dukes | yes | |||
| Mr. Lee Davis Thames | no | |||
| Northern Indiana - Clergy | ||||
| The Rev. Richard A. Kallenberg | yes | |||
| The Rev. David Lee Hyndman | no | |||
| The Very Rev. Robert Bizzaro | no | |||
| The Rev. Harold Comer | yes | |||
| Northern Indiana - Lay | ||||
| Mrs. Anne Donnelly | yes | |||
| Mr. LeRoy M. Lacey | yes | |||
| Mr. James Pankow | yes | |||
| Northwest Texas - Clergy | ||||
| The Rev. Canon David L. Veal | yes | |||
| The Rev. James Haney | no | |||
| The Rev. Charles Chatham | no | |||
| The Rev. David F.K. Puckett | yes | |||
| Northwest Texas - Lay | ||||
| Mrs. Betty Gilmore | yes | |||
| Mr. Robert Carr Vincent | yes | |||
| Mrs. Valerie Pickett | yes | |||
| Mr. Kay L. Fancher | yes | |||
| San Joaquin - Clergy | ||||
| The Rev. Keith Brown | yes | |||
| The Rev. Canon Thomas M. Foster | yes | |||
| The Rev. Edward S. Little | yes | |||
| The Rev. Randy Rainwater | yes | |||
| San Joaquin - Lay | ||||
| Mrs. Nancy Salmon | yes | |||
| Mr. David C. Chambers | yes | |||
| Mrs. Susanna Piper | yes | |||
| Mrs. Lenoir Wells | yes | |||
| West Texas - Clergy | ||||
| The Rev. James E. Folts | yes | |||
| The Ven. Charles Eugene Jennings | yes | |||
| The Rev. Samuel Rutherford Todd, Jr. | yes | |||
| The Rev. William J. Cavanaugh | yes | |||
| West Texas - Lay | ||||
| John M. Etheridge, M.D. | yes | |||
| Mrs. Betsy Markland | yes | |||
| Jack Hebdon, Esq. | yes | |||
| Mr. Robert Welch | yes |
Summary of Votes
| Type | Total | Yes | No | Divided | Necessary | ||
| Lay: | 114 | 46 | 47 | 21 | 58 | ||
| Clerical: | 116 | 43 | 48 | 25 | 59 |
BALLOT #21
B003 - Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony
| Diocese | Lay | Clerical | ||||||
| Alabama | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Alaska | No | No | ||||||
| Albany | No | Yes | ||||||
| Arizona | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Atlanta | No | No | ||||||
| Bethlehem | No | No | ||||||
| California | No | No | ||||||
| Central Florida | Yes | No | ||||||
| Central Gulf Coast | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Central New York | No | No | ||||||
| Central Pennsylvania | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| Chicago | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| Churches In Europe | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Colombia | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Colorado | Yes | No | ||||||
| Connecticut | No | No | ||||||
| Cuernavaca | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Dallas | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Delaware | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Dominican Republic | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| East Tennessee | No | Divided | ||||||
| Eastern Oregon | No | No | ||||||
| Easton | No | Divided | ||||||
| Eau Claire | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Ecuador | Yes | |||||||
| El Camino Real | No | No | ||||||
| El Salvador | No | No | ||||||
| Florida | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Fond du Lac | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Fort Worth | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Guatemala | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Haiti | Yes | |||||||
| Hawaii | No | No | ||||||
| Honduras | Divided | No | ||||||
| Idaho | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| Indianapolis | Divided | No | ||||||
| Iowa | Divided | Yes | ||||||
| Kansas | No | No | ||||||
| Kentucky | Divided | No | ||||||
| Lexington | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Litoral | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Long Island | No | No | ||||||
| Los Angeles | No | Divided | ||||||
| Louisiana | Yes | No | ||||||
| Maine | No | Divided | ||||||
| Maryland | No | No | ||||||
| Massachusetts | No | No | ||||||
| Mexico | No | No | ||||||
| Michigan | No | Divided | ||||||
| Milwaukee | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| Minnesota | No | No | ||||||
| Mississippi | Divided | No | ||||||
| Missouri | No | No | ||||||
| Montana | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| Navaho Missions | ||||||||
| Nebraska | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Nevada | Divided | No | ||||||
| New Hampshire | No | No | ||||||
| New Jersey | No | Divided | ||||||
| New York | No | No | ||||||
| Newark | No | No | ||||||
| Nicaragua | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| North Carolina | Divided | No | ||||||
| North Dakota | No | Divided | ||||||
| Northern California | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Northern Indiana | Yes | Divided | ||||||
| Northern Mexico | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Northern Michigan | No | No | ||||||
| Northwest Texas | Yes | Divided | ||||||
| Northwestern Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Ohio | No | No | ||||||
| Oklahoma | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Olympia | No | No | ||||||
| Oregon | Divided | No | ||||||
| Panama | No | No | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | No | No | ||||||
| Pittsburgh | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Quincy | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Rhode Island | No | Divided | ||||||
| Rio Grande | Divided | Divided | ||||||
| Rochester | No | No | ||||||
| San Diego | No | No | ||||||
| San Joaquin | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| South Carolina | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| South Dakota | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Southeast Florida | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Southeastern Mexico | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Southern Ohio | Divided | No | ||||||
| Southern Virginia | Yes | No | ||||||
| Southwest Florida | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Southwestern Virginia | No | No | ||||||
| Spokane | Yes | No | ||||||
| Springfield | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Taiwan | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Tennessee | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Texas | Divided | Yes | ||||||
| Upper South Carolina | No | Divided | ||||||
| Utah | No | No | ||||||
| Vermont | No | No | ||||||
| Virgin Islands | No | Divided | ||||||
| Virginia | No | Yes | ||||||
| Washington | No | No | ||||||
| West Missouri | No | No | ||||||
| West Tennessee | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| West Texas | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| West Virginia | Yes | Divided | ||||||
| Western Kansas | Yes | No | ||||||
| Western Louisiana | Yes | Divided | ||||||
| Western Massachusetts | Divided | No | ||||||
| Western Mexico | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Western Michigan | Divided | No | ||||||
| Western New York | No | Divided | ||||||
| Western North Carolina | No | Divided | ||||||
| Wyoming | No | Yes |
Motion defeated
Resolution rejected
(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #172)
Deputy Rodgers of Pittsburgh submitted a statement which will record the names of those seated under protest because of the outcome of the vote on Resolution B003 (Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony).
He invited signatures from the House.
The "Rodgers Conscience Clause" written in response to the outcome of the vote on Resolution B003 (Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony) with signatures of supporting deputies, was received by the Secretary at 11:55 a.m. (July 18, 8th Day.) [ See History Note.]
House of Bishops
The Secretary announce that the following message has been received from the House of Deputies: HD Message #172--B003 (Sexual Relations Outside Holy Matrimony): The House of Deputies rejected the resolution.
Resolution Rejected.
| Abstract: | The 70th General Convention rejects the resolution adding Canon I.17 regarding regulations respecting the clergy. |
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| Notes: | See Journal, 1991, p. 654ff, for further text regarding the rules of debate and the consideration of B003, A104s, and C032. There is no evidence in the text of the Journal, 1991 to support the statement of the Chair of the Committee, as printed in the text of the consideration in the House of Deputies, that 1991-B003 was amended in the House of Bishops. The text of the "Rogers Conscience Clause" and names of the signatories appear as an appendix to the minutes of the eighth day, in the Journal, 1991, p.735ff. |