The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

Original Text of Resolution:

(A040)

Whereas, the 66th General Convention charged the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations to receive and collate reports from seminary and diocesan studies of the document In Quest of a Church of Christ Uniting and present to the General Convention of 1982 a proposed official response from this Church to the Consultation on Church Union (Journal, C-51 and C-52); and

Whereas, a preliminary response to the Consultation discovered in the diocesan and seminary reports common concerns about the treatment of:

-- The authority of the ecumenical creeds,

-- The understanding of sacramental acts other than Baptism and Eucharist,

-- The understanding of Confirmation,

-- The collegial nature of the Presbyterate and the Episcopate,

-- The divine action in ordination,

-- The meaning of lay and diaconal sharing in ordination rites, and

-- The theology of the Church,

while also discovering cause for rejoicing in the notable advances made in ecumenical agreement with the participating Churches; therefore, be it

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That this 67th General Convention of the Episcopal Church recognize that Consultation on Church Union as a principal place for dialogue with many Churches as well as a unique opportunity for dialogue with three predominantly Black Churches; and be it further

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That this 67th General Convention express its gratitude for the "emerging theological consensus" reflected in the document In Quest of a Church of Christ Uniting and ask the Episcopal delegation to the Consultation to press for re-examination of those portions of the document noted as matters of concern in the Response of the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations.

The Committee on Ecumenical Relations presented its Report #2 on Resolution A-40A (COCU/Black Churches) and moved that the resolution be adopted as amended by the Committee. [ See History Note.]

Motion carried

Resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #25)