News Briefs
Diocesan Press Service. November 2, 1964 [XXVI-12]
WOMEN VOTED DOWN
Once again the House of Deputies of the General Convention has voted not to allow women of the Church a voice in this governing body.
But, for the first time since 1952 when the initial proposal to seat women was defeated, the clerical deputies voted by a two to one majority in favor of the move. And in the lay order, the proposal failed to pass by the slim margin of six deputations.
A simple majority is required to pass such legislation, both in lay and clerical orders, and concurrence of the House of Bishops.
Presiding Bishop Lichtenberger issued a statement addressed to the vote's failure. Clifford P. Morehouse, president of the House of Deputies, termed the Presiding Bishop's statement "an unprecedented action which must be met by this House; it constitutes a reprimand. "
ON OPEN COMMUNION
In a statement adopted during the 61st General Convention, the Church's 160 bishops endorsed that principle that "all Christians duly baptized in the name of the Trinity and qualified to receive the Holy Communion in their own churches, should be welcomed as guests at the Lord's table in all Christian Churches..."
The House of Bishops then affirmed the right of Bishops to apply this principle in their own jurisdictions and directed that the Standing Liturgical Commission present to the General Convention in 1967 appropriate amendments to the Book of Common Prayer and asked the Committee on Constitution and Canons of the House of Bishops to present to the same Convention any necessary constitutional and canonical changes.
The Bishops ended their statement with their "solemn intention to press resolutely toward that Unity in Christ in which painful separations in the Church will be impossible."
This resolution was then sent to the House of Deputies where it was amended. The amendment recognized the "important questions existing relative to admission to the Holy Communion, .. to Baptism and Confirmation .." and proposed referral to the Joint Commission on Ecumenical Relations for study and report at the next General Convention.
However, the Bishops did not concur with the Deputies' amendment, thus defeating the whole action for this session.