The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Racial Justice and Reconciliation presented its Report #7 on Resolution A230 (Deploring the Sin of Scapegoating in Politics) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A230)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention proclaims that the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement repudiates all political appeals and language rooted in the sin of scapegoating groups of human beings on the basis of race, language, culture, belief, caste, immigration status, gender identification, and sexual orientation; and be it further

Resolved, That such attacks have escalated alarmingly in the current political climate, including, but not limited to, the scapegoating of African-Americans in our cities—blamed for crime; non-white immigrants and asylum seekers from the Southern Hemisphere—blamed for stealing jobs; visitors and citizens from Arab Muslim countries—blamed for terrorism; indigenous peoples—blamed for a wide range of social ills and for thwarting energy independence; and women and LGBTQ+ people—blamed for the de-masculinization and disintegration of American society and families; and be it further

Resolved, That we repudiate the acts of violence that inevitably result from the rhetoric and tactics of political scapegoating; and be it further

Resolved, That group scapegoating is abhorrent to the heart of Christ and the soul of democracy; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention commends the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies to such consultations as they deem fit with The Episcopal Church’s ecumenical and interfaith partners (including the National Council of Churches’ A.C.T. Now to End Racism initiative) with a goal of uniting people of faith and like mind and spirit behind a consolidated, comprehensive, and coordinated witness against an ungodly practice that pollutes and strains our common life.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention proclaims that the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement repudiates all political appeals and language rooted in the sin of scapegoating groups of human beings on the basis of race, language, culture, belief, casteeconomic and physical condition, immigration status, gender identification, and sexual orientation; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention observes that such attacks have escalated alarmingly in the current political climate, including, but not limited to, the scapegoating of African-Americans people of African descent in our cities—blamed for crime; non-white immigrants and asylum seekers from the Southern Hemisphere—blamed for stealing jobs; visitors and U.S. citizens from Arab Muslim countries—blamed for terrorism; indigenous peoples—blamed for a wide range of social ills and for thwarting energy independence; and women and LGBTQ+ people—blamed for the de-masculinization and disintegration of American society and families; and the economically disadvantaged—blamed for being a burden on the wealthy and comfortable; the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated—condemned as irredeemable; and persons with disabilities—ridiculed, as in Jesus’s time, as outcasts. We recognize also that the sin of scapegoating occurs in virtually every nation in which the Episcopal Church ministers; and be it further

Resolved, That we General Convention repudiates the acts of violence that inevitably result from the rhetoric and tactics of political scapegoating; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention finds group scapegoating is to be abhorrent to the heart of Christ and the soul of democracy. It offends against the rootedness of the best ideals of our government in the ethics respecting the dignity of individuals to which Christianity and all great faiths are pledged. It degrades politics by basing appeals for votes on fear and hate instead of hope and love. It invites comparisons to the darkest moments in human history, when race-based, clan-based, and other forms of scapegoating unleashed acts of genocide; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention commends the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies to such consultations as they deem fit with The Episcopal Church’s ecumenical and interfaith partners (including the National Council of Churches’ A.C.T. Now to End Racism initiative) with a goal of uniting people of faith and like mind and spirit behind a consolidated, comprehensive, and coordinated witness against an ungodly practice that pollutes and strains our common life.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #183)