The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Social and Urban Affairs presented its Report #18 on Resolution C011 (Church Responsibility in Reparations) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(C011)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 75th General Convention establish a task force of the Executive Council to study, document and report on the enslavement of Africans and their descendants, the legacy of slavery, and the establishment of systemic and institutional racism within the United States of America; and be it further

Resolved, That the task force specifically research and report on the historical role of The Episcopal Church in these systems of slavery and racism, so that we as a people of God can come to make a full, faithful and informed accounting of the legacy we inherit and better understand how we can work, both individually and collectively, to “repair the breach;” and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church support the passage of legislation to establish “a commission to study reparations proposals” as affirmation of our commitments to become a transformed, anti-racist church and to work toward healing, reconciliation and a restoration of wholeness to the family of God.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 75th General Convention, affirming establish a task force of the Executive Council to study, document and report on the enslavement of Africans and their descendants, the legacy of slavery, and the establishment of systemic and institutional racism within the United States of America; and, be it further

Resolved, That the task force specifically research and report on the historical role of The Episcopal Church in these systems of slavery and racism, so that we as a people of God can come to make a full, faithful and informed accounting of the legacy we inherit and better understand how we can work, both individually and collectively, to “repair the breach”; and, be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church support the passage of legislation to establish “a commission to study reparations proposals” as affirmation ofour commitments to become a transformed, anti-racist church and to work toward healing, reconciliation and a restoration of wholeness to the family of God., urge the Church at every level to call upon Congress and the American people to support legislation initiating study of and dialogue about the history and legacy of slavery in the United States and of proposals for monetary and non-monetary reparations to the descendants of the victims of slavery.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #180)