The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

Original Text of Resolution:

(B043)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 73rd General Convention of the Episcopal Church, note:

1. Resolution III.2 of the 1998 conference which as a means of maintaining the unity of the Anglican Communion called "upon the Provinces of the Communion to make such provision, including appropriate episcopal ministry, as will enable them to live in the highest degree of Communion as is possible"; and
2. The unanimous opinion expressed by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church together with the other Primates of the Anglican Communion assembled in Oporto that "it is our view that any issues of extended oversight be fairly and openly dealt with within a Province's structures and procedures in the light of the Province's pastoral care for all its members"; and be it further

Resolved, That in the interests of preserving unity and pastoral care the following (voluntary) process be instituted: when a parish and its diocesan bishop are unable to maintain a functioning pastoral relationship, the parish will have the right to appeal to a national-church committee to be named by the Presiding Bishop and function under the authority of the Presiding Bishop and the House of Bishops; and be it further

Resolved, That the said committee then be empowered to authorize and arrange for an episcopal visitor to meet the pastoral and sacramental needs of the petitioning parish; and be it further

Resolved, That the Committee include equal members of bishops who support opposite sides of the divisive issue in question.

The House of Bishops Committee on Ministry presented its Report #15 on Resolution B043 (Concerning Provision of Extended Episcopal Sacramental and Pastoral Ministry) and moved the resolution, recommending rejection.

Motion carried

Resolution rejected

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #159)