The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Committees and Commissions presented its Report #14 on Resolution A142 (Re-establishment of the Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A142)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

That the 80th General Convention amend Canon I.1.2.n by adding a new subsection 4 thereto, to read as follows:

4. A Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations. It shall be the duty of the Commission to:

i. Coordinate and encourage the work of church unity among Christian partners and collaboration and peacebuilding with interfaith partners, conciliar, and interfaith organizations.

ii. Recommend policies and strategies to the General Convention for the affirmation and development of ecumenical and interreligious partnerships.

iii. Collaborate with ecumenical and interreligious partners, conciliar and interfaith bodies to develop tools which address issues of power, racial justice, colonialism, imperialism, and the historical racial bias in ecumenical endeavors.

iv. Support Diocesan and local engagement in interreligious and ecumenical ministry.

v. Encourage theological work that recognizes the current and future ecumenical and religious landscape, contextual theologies and partnerships with conciliar bodies and others to address the Gospel issues of unity, justice, and peace, and to respond as requested to Conciliar, ecumenical or other interreligious documents.

vi. In collaboration with the churchwide Office on Ecumenical and Inter-religious relations, develop and recommend to the General Convention comprehensive and coordinated policies and guidelines for inter-religious relations and ecumenical dialogues and conversations.

vii. Recommend strategies and policies to General Convention for training and leadership development, with networks, diocesan ecumenical officers, faith-based bodies within and beyond the Episcopal Church.

viii. Study the needs and trends of the ecumenical and interreligious landscape, to support and encourage the development of resources for ecumenical and interreligious formation.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

That the 80th General Convention amend Canon I.1.2.n by adding a new subsection 4 thereto, to read as follows:

4. A Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations. It shall be the duty of the Commission to:

i. Coordinate and encourage the work of church unity among Christian partners and collaboration and peacebuilding with interfaith partners, conciliar, and interfaith organizations.

ii. Recommend policies and strategies to the General Convention for the affirmation and development of ecumenical and interreligious partnerships.

iii. Collaborate with ecumenical and interreligious partners, conciliar and interfaith bodies to develop tools which address issues of power, racial justice, colonialism, imperialism, and the historical racial bias in ecumenical endeavors.

iv. Support Diocesan and local engagement in interreligious and ecumenical ministry.

v. Encourage theological work that recognizes the current and future ecumenical and religious landscape, contextual theologies and partnerships with conciliar bodies and others to address the Gospel issues of unity, justice, and peace, and to respond as requested to Conciliar, ecumenical or other interreligious documents.

vi. In collaboration with the churchwide Office on Ecumenical and Inter-religious relations, develop and recommend to the General Convention comprehensive and coordinated policies and guidelines for inter-religious relations and ecumenical dialogues and conversations.

vii. Recommend strategies and policies to General Convention for training and leadership development, with networks, diocesan ecumenical officers, faith-based bodies within and beyond the Episcopal Church.

viii. Study the needs and trends of the ecumenical and interreligious landscape, to support and encourage the development of resources for ecumenical and interreligious formation; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to allocate $50,000 to fund the work of the Standing Commission for the 2022-2024 triennium.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #55)