Correction Made to Sexuality Pastoral
Episcopal News Service. May 4, 1995 [95082R]
(ENS) A correction to the pre-publication copy of the "Pastoral Study Guide on Human Sexuality," adopted at the 1994 General Convention, was mailed recently to all diocesan bishops and General Convention deputies. The Office of the Presiding Bishop reported that, through an oversight, the flawed version of the document retained original language that was changed in the House of Bishops by an amendment. The change replaced the words "Therefore we recommend that the Church commit ourselves to..." with "Therefore we commit ourselves to..." in a discussion of bishops ordaining "only persons we believe to be a wholesome example to their people according to the standards and norms set forth by the Church's teachings." The oversight was brought to Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning's attention by Bishop John Howe of Central Florida, who said that "a major piece of the 'dialogue' has been over the question of whether the statements of the House of Bishops and the General Convention itself are mandatory for the church or recommendatory only." Forward Movement Publications will publish the document later this year.