How the General Convention Reached a Compromise on the Sexuality Issue
Episcopal News Service. July 25, 1991 [91149]
Mike Barwell
After months of anticipation and a week of legislative maneuvering, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church finally reached a compromise on the explosive issue of sexuality.
Following some last-minute haggling, the House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops' final, editorial amendments to the resolution (A-104sa) the bishops had crafted and approved earlier. The deputies ratified the resolution in an overwhelming voice vote.
The bishops agreed with the deputies' editorial amendments of the resolution, but insisted that the resolution retain language stating "that this General Convention affirms (rather than "acknowledges") that the teaching of the Episcopal Church is that physical sexual expression is appropriate only within the lifelong, monogamous" relationship of marriage, as defined in the Book of Common Prayer.
The bishops' resolution -- which amounts to a compromise package intended to keep the church from polarizing on sexuality issues -- affirms traditional definitions of marriage, acknowledges the "discontinuity" between the church's teaching and the experience of some of its members, and confesses the inability of church leaders to reach a definitive conclusion. It also calls for continued study on the local level and a "pastoral teaching" from the bishops.
The compromise resolution now becomes church policy -- at least for the next three years.
General Convention affirms that the teaching of the Episcopal Church is that physical sexual expression is appropriate only within the lifelong, monogamous "union of husband and wife in the heart, body, and mind intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity; and when it is God's will, for the procreation of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord," as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer, and be it further resolved,
That this church continue to work to reconcile the discontinuity between this teaching and the experience of many members of this body; and be it further resolved,
That this General Convention confesses our failure to lead and to resolve this discontinuity through legislative efforts based upon resolutions directed at singular and various aspects of these issues; and be it further resolved,
That this General Convention commissions the bishops and members of each diocesan deputation to initiate a means for all congregations in their jurisdiction to enter into dialogue and deepen their understanding of these complex issues; and further this General Convention directs the president of each province to appoint one bishop, one lay deputy, and one clerical deputy in that province to facilitate the process, to receive reports from the dioceses at each meeting of their Provincial Synod, and report to the 71st General Convention; and be it further resolved,
That this General Convention directs the House of Bishops to prepare a Pastoral Teaching prior to the 71st General Convention using the learnings from the diocesan and provincial processes and calling upon such insight as is necessary from theologians, theological ethicists, social scientists, and gay and lesbian persons; and that three lay persons and three members of the clergy from the House of Deputies, appointed by the President of the House of Deputies, be included in the preparation of this Pastoral Teaching.
In a series of debates and votes earlier in the convention, the deputies considered three resolutions dealing with sexuality: the compromise resolution, a new canon or church law on clergy sexual behavior, and a canon on access to the ordination process.
Tn their first vote, deputies defeated a proposed canon insisting that clergy "abstain from genital sexual relations outside of Holy Matrimony" (B-003).
In a vote by orders, the deputies killed the proposal, initiated by Bishop William C. Frey, that had already been discharged from consideration by the bishops. Frey is dean of the Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.
In a statement Thursday, Frey said, "I didn't really expect that it would pass. I wasn't overly optimistic. The fact it didn't pass doesn't convince me I was wrong in making the proposal.
"In all likelihood I'll be back in three years with something similar," Frey added "My guess is that by that time we'll have-enough experience to make it more attractive."
Frey commented that he personally does not view the sexuality legislation approved by convention as either a victory or defeat for either conservative or liberal elements of the church. "I don't think we've lost any ground," Frey said. "We've simply exposed to public view a fact many people have suspected -- that the leadership of the church is, at present, incapable of giving leadership in this particular area."
After amending and adopting the compromise resolution from the House of Bishops, deputies also adopted an amendment to Title III, Canon 8 stating simply, "There is no right to ordination in the Church. Subject to specified canonical requirements, all members shall have equal access to the selection process for ordination in this Church."
The deputies' defeat of Frey's proposed canon produced a swift reaction.
The Very Rev. John Rodgers, deputy from the Diocese of Pittsburgh and former dean of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, read from a prepared statement: "I wish to inform you and this House of Deputies that I and many other deputies and alternate deputies remain seated in this convention as loyal Episcopalians under protest and in order to protest." His remarks to Dean David C. Collins, president of the house, were delivered "in the light of this House's unwillingness to affirm biblical and classical Anglican sexual morality as having canonical standing in our church."
The Rev. Todd Wetzel, executive director for Episcopalians United for Revelation, Renewal and Reformation, a conservative organization, said, "We're pleased that the passage of [the compromise resolution] affirms the church's traditional teaching. But we're distressed that neither the House of Bishops nor the House of Deputies could pass a canon stating that clergy should refrain from sexual relations outside of Holy Matrimony."
Episcopalians United reacted to the decision in its publication United Voice, saying members of the independent organization -- which made "blocking more gay ordinations or the further use of Supplemental Liturgical Texts" major platforms at this convention -- were "disappointed but unbroken."
In the same publication, Bishop C. FitzSimons Allison, retired bishop of South Carolina, said that convention's "stymied discussion of sexuality may be evidence of God's wrath." Allison described that wrath as "a church meeting from which God has withdrawn his Holy Spirit."
Integrity, an organization of gay and lesbian Episcopalians, expressed mixed reaction to the passage of the compromise legislation. While Integrity was pleased with the overall mood of the convention, and appreciative of the positive remarks made during debates on the floor of both houses, spokespersons voiced "disappointment that more positive legislation did not pass." Integrity also said that, although "the language... was not what was hoped for, it is a position that Integrity can live with."
Kim Byham, director of communications for Integrity, said the "specific and intentional inclusion of gay and lesbian persons in the study process was a great step forward for this church." He also expressed Integrity's "frustration that the resolution seeks once again to study homosexuality.
"If the issue were race, the church would not be studying persons of color, but rather would study racism," Byham said. "We as gay and lesbian Christians would be much more interested... if we would start to discuss heterosexism rather than sexuality."
The decision to affirm traditional definitions of marriage, at the same time admitting the pain of homosexuals in the church, was not an easy compromise.
How the church would deal with sexuality had galvanized and at times polarized the church for more than a decade. At issue was the authority of Scripture, the rights of individuals to access to the ordination process, and the authority of dioceses and bishops to ordain homosexuals.
The current debate over the church's policy toward gay and lesbian members began in 1976, when a General Convention resolution acknowledged "that homosexual persons are children of God and have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the church." Yet, a 1977 statement from the Committee on Theology in the House of Bishops said that it was "crucial to distinguish between an advocating and/or practicing -- willful and habitual -- homosexual and one with a dominant homosexual orientation only." The bishops also adopted a statement that declared ordination was inadmissible for an avowed homosexual.
The 1979 General Convention followed the lead of the bishops with a bench mark resolution that affirmed traditional teachings of the church on marriage, marital fidelity, and sexual chastity as standards for Christian sexual morality and declared that it was "not appropriate" to ordain a practicing homosexual. However, 44 bishops subsequently signed a public statement of dissent from the resolution declaring that they would not be bound by the resolution as a matter of conscience.
It was not until the 1985 General Convention in Anaheim that an attempt was made to reexamine the question of ordaining gay and lesbian candidates. A change designed to eliminate sexual orientation as a criteria for "rights and status in the church" was approved by each house in slightly different language, but failed to become canon law because of a case of miscommunication between the two houses. A similar change designed to eliminate sexual orientation as a criteria for access to the ordination process was adopted by the House of Bishops out not by the House of Deputies.
The 1988 General Convention in Detroit rejected specific measures to ordain homosexuals, instead calling for a thorough study of human sexuality and hoping for disposition at this convention. Last January, the Standing Commission on Human Affairs released the so-called Hunt Commission report, named for Bishop George Hunt of Rhode Island who chaired the committee during the past three years. The lengthy report was based on three years of study, including a series of regional hearings with extensive testimony from homosexuals and traditionalists.
Some observers felt the commission's recommendations added fuel to the fire by asserting that individual dioceses and bishops alone should determine the fitness of candidates for ordination, including open homosexuals. The Hunt report also called for the Standing Liturgical Commission to study the issues and forms for blessing same-sex relationships.
The ordination of an avowed, noncelibate homosexual to the priesthood in December 1989 by Bishop John Spong of Newark, New Jersey, sharpened the questions regarding the ordination of gay and lesbian candidates. The ordination fueled heated reaction throughout the church and initiated attempts by some to bring charges against Spong for violating the spirit of the 1979 resolution. Although the 1990 meeting of the House of Bishops narrowly voted to "disassociate" from Spong's ordination of the gay priest, the question regarding the binding authority of the 1979 resolution was a continuing bone of contention.
At the conclusion of the 1990 meeting, the bishops adopted a "Statement on Homosexuality" that called for continued dialogue on the issue, noting that "no matter how deeply each of us may feel about homosexuality, there are other people of good faith who also take seriously the authority of Scripture and may conclude differently." The bishops urged the church to approach the continuing dialogue with patience, warning that "this may be especially difficult for those who expect early resolution, an up-or-down vote at the forthcoming General Convention."
Then on June 5, 1991 -- only a few weeks before convention -- the ordination of Elizabeth Carl, a noncelibate lesbian, by Bishop Ronald Haines of Washington, D.C., further fueled the controversy.
The sexuality debate heightened the anxieties of traditionalists, conservatives and evangelicals, who claim the church is slipping away from orthodox Christianity. Organizations such as Episcopalians United and the Episcopal Synod of America within the past year focused much of their energy and resources to oppose legislation that would allow ordination of homosexuals.
At the same time, the Frey proposal sought to broaden the scope, including all sexual conduct of clergy. Frey and others testified that they had "more trouble with their heterosexual clergy" than with gays or lesbians -- although they opposed ordaining gays.
All of these passions arrived at convention, along with considerable press scrutiny. Sparks flew early in the House of Bishops. On July 12, Spong and Bishop John H. MacNaughton of West Texas exchanged heated words over a proposal to appoint homosexual members to the Standing Conmission on Human Affairs. Spong accused certain bishops of being "homophobic."
Bishop Arthur E. Walmsley of Connecicut, likening the brief exchange to "a foretaste of the shoot-out at the OK Corral," called on Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning to set a time "to discuss how we do our business together." In response, Browning called a special "executive session" to deal with the collegiality and trust level among the bishops.
Bishop Frank Allan of Atlanta, chair of the House of Bishops Committee on Ministry, said his committee proposed the executive session because "I think we are facing a crisis of leadership and trust, and also in the way that we do business with one another as bishops." Allan admitted "that I came to this convention with a great deal of dread." While he said "I have found here a great deal of collegiality" and was "far more encouraged than when I came here," he said it would still be helpful to "come together in executive session to talk about how we relate to each other and how we do business."
The long-awaited hearing on issues surrounding sexuality drew almost 3,000 participants. The open hearing included statements and testimonies pertaining to pending legislation on the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals and blessing same-sex committed relationships.
Bishop Frederick H. Borsch of Los Angeles, a member of the Hunt Commission, supported the report's conclusion that decisions about ordaining homosexuals should be left to individual dioceses.
Borsch contended that there is much that is agreed by members of the church about sexuality. "At least most of us are agreed that [homosexual] orientation itself is no bar for full discipleship and leadership roles in our church," he said. "The church historically has often dealt with significant issues locally, and this may in our time be both a more pastoral way and a better way.
"I believe that at least most of us are agreed that there is a certain mystery about homosexuality," Borsch continued. "The homosexual orientation, with respect to its causes and purposes, is not fully explicable or understandable in special ways.
"Many, though not all, would agree that the general sexual orientation of most people cannot be changed," Borsch said. "Gay and lesbian persons, in other words, are a given among and with us, in our lives and world, often in our families, certainly in our churches, often as our friends and co-disciples."
Bishop Frey, on the other hand, claimed, "We've sinned as a church, and I believe we are under God's judgment. We have sinned by silence and acquiescence in going along with the sexual revolution."
Stating that he has a vision of the church in which "the love of God and not the indulgence of God" would be expressed, Frey reminded the attentive listeners who filled rows of folding chairs that the love of God is "a severe mercy," for the Lord "disciplines those whom he loves."
The battle is not over. Some observers suggest that no one is really satisfied with the General Convention's actions on sexuality, and the ultimate resolution of this issue will emerge from the grass-roots study by congregations and dioceses.
Convention passed other resolutions on sexuality issues, which now become the policy of the church:
- Declare sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment by church employees an abuse of trust and responsibility (B-052a).
- Ask the president of the House of Deputies and the Presiding Bishop to appoint to the Standing Commission on Human Affairs membership having representation from the communities and groups being most affected by the agenda of the triennium (D-016a).
- Initiate an inter-Anglican and ecumenical dialogue on human sexuality issues which should not be resolved by the Episcopal Church on its own (B-020).
- Work to educate parishes about sexual abuse (D-105s).
- Provide education and information for clergy ministering to the gay and lesbian community (D-049s).