Presiding Bishop Reports on Special General Convention II
Diocesan Press Service. May 26, 1969 [77-15]
GREENWICH, Conn. -- In his message to the Spring meeting of the Executive Council, held May 20-22 in Greenwich, Conn., the Rt. Rev. John E. Hines, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, told Council members that the proposed suggestions for Special General Convention II, particularly the inclusion of additional representatives -- a woman, a young person, and a minority group member -- from each Diocese, has aroused considerable interest.
He also told Council members that a poll of active bishops of the Episcopal Church showed a majority supported the format, either unqualifiedly or with reservations.
The following is the full text of Bishop Hines's remarks concerning the Special General Convention, to be held at the University of Notre Dame, August 31 to September 5:
"As you may have guessed, the proposed process for Special General Convention II, requesting the inclusion of three additional representatives -- a woman, an under-25-young-person, and a minority group representative -- has aroused considerable interest (to employ a euphemism!) throughout the Church. Both Dr. Coburn and I see it as a unique opportunity to engage representatives of the entire Church in an assessment of the role of the Church today with the focus on Ministry, Mission and Authority, all factors in what we did in Seattle, and what we could do in Houston. With the proper organizational talent at work we may be able to look back at Seattle, while pointing to Houston, yet doing no violence to the constitutional nature of normal legislative convention procedures. In this untried experimental area the Agenda Committee has had to plan with few guidelines available, and at the risk of appearing confused and confusing. Regrettably neither time nor money permitted extensive engagement of the Church in the early planning. However, the committee has used the broad brush well, and is now providing the sought-after details. Opinion -- both solicited and unsolicited -- as to the rightness and viability of a combined seminar-convention type of gathering, has covered the whole range from outright hostility to enthusiastic support. The proposal has been a bonanza to the press while one denomination has asked for details, so intrigued are they by what- they have heard. Some have requested a poll of the Church through the deputies and Standing Committees, but that presents severe problems.
"I felt it the part of wisdom to poll the active Bishops, diocesans, coadjutors and suffragans, asking them to indicate their reaction under one of three categories: support in principle, support with reservations, opposition. As of today 37 Bishops expressed opposition to the plan, 36 gave their support with reservations, and 64 recorded their unqualified support. While more analysis is required in the assessment of such a poll, and while it does not represent thunderous and overwhelming approval, I gauge the response to be encouraging -- and trust that others will agree. A factor of additional encouragement -- not a part of the poll -- is that only one committee chairman invited to help with the conference process has declined to serve -- with only 30 percent yet to respond. "