The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Social and Urban Affairs presented its Report #37 on Resolution D018 (Address the Global Economic Crisis) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D018)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 76th General Convention recognizes the reality of the global economic crisis that has left the human community both in the United States and around the world in dire economic circumstances; and that we in The Episcopal Church are complicit in the crisis in that we have too often embraced an unrestrained free-market form of capitalism that results in predatory practices of lending and income generation divorced from systems of accountability; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention thanks the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, for his leadership and teaching offering a Christian response to the global economic crisis including his contributions at this Convention in the Presiding Officer’s Forum; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention urges the House of Bishops and the House of Bishops Theology Committee to extend their teaching in their March 2009 “Pastoral Letter” by developing a “Pastoral Teaching Resource” on God’s mission and the global economic crisis as soon as possible in the next triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention invite dioceses and parishes in The Episcopal Church to focus the season of Lent 2010 as a time of penitential reflection on the brokenness of the global economic order and its reformation in light of the Gospel using resources developed by such agencies and organizations as: the House of Bishops Theology Committee, Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, the 2010 Trinity Institute “Building an Ethical Economy” and the Episcopal Network of Economic Justice; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention direct diocesan deputations address the global economic crisis in their own contexts utilizing the lessons and methods of the “Public Narrative Project” introduced at this Convention, and/or other community organizing principles consistent with the “Public Narrative Project.”

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 76th General Convention recognizes the reality of the global economic crisis that has left the human community both in the United States and around the world in dire economic circumstances; and that we in The Episcopal Church are complicit in the crisis in that we have too often embraced an unrestrained free-market form of capitalism that results in predatory practices of lending and income generation divorced from systems of accountability; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention thanks the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, for his leadership and teaching offering a Christian response to the global economic crisis including his contributions at this Convention in the Presiding Officer’s Forum; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention urges the House of Bishops and the House of Bishops Theology Committeeto extend their teaching in their March 2009 “Pastoral Letter” by developing a “Pastoral Teaching Resource” on God’s mission and the global economic crisis as soon as possible in the next triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention invite dioceses and parishes in The Episcopal Church to focus the season of Lent 2010 as a time of penitential reflection on the brokenness of the global economic order and its reformation in light of the Gospel using resources developed by such agencies and organizations as: The House of Bishops Theology Committee, Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, the 2010 Trinity Institute “Building an Ethical Economy” and the Episcopal Network of Economic Justice; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention direct diocesan deputations address the global economic crisis in their own contexts utilizing the lessons and methods of the “Public Narrative Project” introduced at this Convention, and/or other community organizing principles consistent with the “Public Narrative Project.”

The Bishop of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

In the last resolve clause, replace the word “direct” with the words “suggest that” and delete the word “to.”

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

A vote was taken on Resolution D018 as amended.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #198)