House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church New Orleans, Louisiana September 25, 2007

 

A Response to Questions and Concerns Raised by our Anglican Communion Partners

 

In accordance with Our Lord's high priestly prayer that we be one, and in the spirit of Resolution A159 of the 75th General Convention, and in obedience to his Great Commission to go into the world and make disciples, and in gratitude for the gift of the Anglican Communion as a sign of the Holy Spirit's ongoing work of reconciliation throughout the world, we offer the following to The Episcopal Church, the Primates, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the larger Communion, with the hope of "mending the tear in the fabric" of our common life in Christ.

 

"I do it all for the sake of the Gospel so that I might share in its blessings."

1 Corinthians 9:23.

 

Introduction

 

The House of Bishops expresses sincere and heartfelt thanks to the Archbishop of Canterbury and members of the Joint Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates for accepting our invitation to join us in New Orleans. By their presence they have both honored us and assisted us in our discernment. Their presence was a living reminder of the unity that is Christ's promised gift in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Much of our meeting time was spent in continuing discernment of our relationships within the Anglican Communion. We engaged in careful listening and straightforward dialogue with our guests. We expressed our passionate desire to remain in communion. It is our conviction that The Episcopal Church needs the Anglican Communion, and we heard from our guests that the Anglican Communion needs The Episcopal Church.

 

The House of Bishops offers the following responses to our Anglican Communion partners.  We believe they provide clarity and point toward next steps in an ongoing process of dialogue.  Within The Episcopal Church the common discernment of God's call is a lively partnership among laypersons, bishops, priests, and deacons, and therefore necessarily includes the Presiding Bishop, the Executive Council, and the General Convention.

 

Summary

 

*          We reconfirm that resolution B033 of General Convention 2006

(The Election Of Bishops) calls upon bishops with jurisdiction and Standing Committees "to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."

*          We pledge as a body not to authorize public rites for the blessing of same-sex unions.

*          We commend our Presiding Bishop's plan for episcopal visitors.

*          We deplore incursions into our jurisdictions by uninvited bishops and call for them to end.

*          We support the Presiding Bishop in seeking communion-wide consultation in a manner that is in accord with our Constitution and Canons.

*          We call for increasing implementation of the listening process

across the Communion and for a report on its progress to Lambeth 2008.

*          We support the Archbishop of Canterbury in his expressed desire to explore ways for the Bishop of New Hampshire to participate in the Lambeth Conference.

*          We call for unequivocal and active commitment to the civil rights, safety, and dignity of gay and lesbian persons.

Discussion

 

Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention

 

The House of Bishops concurs with Resolution EC011 of the Executive Council. This Resolution commends the Report of the Communion Sub-Group of the Joint Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates of the Anglican Communion as an accurate evaluation of Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention, calling upon bishops with jurisdiction and Standing Committees "to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."[1] The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom

B033 pertains.

 

Blessing of Same-Sex Unions

 

We, the members of the House of Bishops, pledge not to authorize for use in our dioceses any public rites of blessing of same-sex unions until a broader consensus emerges in the Communion, or until General Convention takes further action. In the near future we hope to be able to draw upon the benefits of the Communion-wide listening process. In the meantime, it is important to note that no rite of blessing for persons living in same-sex unions has been adopted or approved by our General Convention.

In addition to not having authorized liturgies the majority of bishops do not make allowance for the blessing of same-sex unions. We do note that in May 2003 the Primates said we have a pastoral duty "to respond with love and understanding to people of all sexual orientations." They further stated, "...[I]t is necessary to maintain a breadth of private response to situations of individual pastoral care."

 

Episcopal Visitors

 

We affirm the Presiding Bishop's plan to appoint episcopal visitors for dioceses that request alternative oversight. Such oversight would be provided by bishops who are a part of and subject to the communal life of this province. We believe this plan is consistent with and analogous to Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO) as affirmed by the Windsor Report (paragraph 152). We thank those bishops who have generously offered themselves for this ministry. We hope that dioceses will make use of this plan and that the Presiding Bishop will continue conversation with those dioceses that may feel the need for such ministries. We appreciate and need to hear all voices in The Episcopal Church.

 

Incursions by Uninvited Bishops

 

We call for an immediate end to diocesan incursions by uninvited bishops in accordance with the Windsor Report and consistent with the statements of past Lambeth Conferences and the Ecumenical Councils of the Church.  Such incursions imperil common prayer and long-established ecclesial principles of our Communion. These principles include respect for local jurisdiction and recognition of the geographical boundaries of dioceses and provinces. As we continue to commit ourselves to honor both the spirit and the content of the Windsor Report, we call upon those provinces and bishops engaging in such incursions likewise to honor the Windsor Report by ending them. We offer assurance that delegated episcopal pastoral care is being provided for those who seek it.

 

Communion-wide Consultation

 

In their communiqué of February 2007, the Primates proposed a "pastoral scheme." At our meeting in March 2007, we expressed our deep concern that this scheme would compromise the authority of our own primate and place the autonomy of The Episcopal Church at risk. The Executive Council reiterated our concerns and declined to participate.

Nevertheless, we recognize a useful role for communion-wide consultation with respect to the pastoral needs of those seeking alternative oversight, as well as the pastoral needs of gay and lesbian persons in this and other provinces. We encourage our Presiding Bishop to continue to explore such consultation in a manner that is in accord with our Constitution and Canons.

The Listening Process

 

The 1998 Lambeth Conference called all the provinces of the Anglican Communion to engage in a "listening process" designed to bring gay and lesbian Anglicans fully into the Church's conversation about human sexuality. We look forward to receiving initial reports about this process at the 2008 Lambeth Conference and to participating with others in this crucial enterprise. We are aware that in some cultural contexts conversation concerning homosexuality is difficult. We see an important role for the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) in this listening process, since it represents both the lay and ordained members of our constituent churches, and so is well-placed to engage every part of the body in this conversation. We encourage the ACC to identify the variety of resources needed to accomplish these conversations.

 

The Lambeth Conference

 

Invitations to the Lambeth Conference are extended by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Those among us who have received an invitation to attend the

2008 Lambeth Conference look forward to that gathering with hope and expectation. Many of us are engaged in mission partnerships with bishops and dioceses around the world and cherish these relationships. Lambeth offers a wonderful opportunity to build on such partnerships. 

 

We are mindful that the Bishop of New Hampshire has not yet received an invitation to the conference. We also note that the Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed a desire to explore a way for him to participate.  We share the Archbishop's desire and encourage our Presiding Bishop to offer our assistance as bishops in this endeavor. It is our fervent hope that a way can be found for his full participation.

 

Justice and Dignity for Gay and Lesbian Persons

 

It is of fundamental importance that, as we continue to seek consensus in matters of human sexuality, we also be clear and outspoken in our shared commitment to establish and protect the civil rights of gay and lesbian persons, and to name and oppose at every turn any action or policy that does violence to them, encourages violence toward them, or violates their dignity as children of God. We call all our partners in the Anglican Communion to recommit to this effort. As we stated at the conclusion of our meeting in March 2007: "We proclaim the Gospel of what God has done and is doing in Christ, of the dignity of every human being, and of justice, compassion and peace.  We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ there is no Jew or Greek, no male or female, no slave or free.  We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children, including women, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church.  We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children, including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church.  We proclaim the Gospel that stands against any violence, including violence done to women and children as well as those who are persecuted because of their differences, often in the name of God."

 

[1] The Communion Sub-Group noted that "the resolution uses the language of 'restraint', and the group noted that there has been considerable discussion since General Convention about the exact force of that word.

By requiring that the restraint must be expressed in a particular way - 'by not consenting ...', however, the resolution is calling for a precise response, which complies with the force of the recommendation of the Windsor Report." The group also noted "that while the Windsor Report restricted its recommendation to candidates for the episcopate who were living in a same gender union, the resolution at General Convention widened this stricture to apply to a range of lifestyles which present a wider challenge.  The group welcomed this widening of the principle, which was also recommended by the Windsor Report, and commend it to the Communion."

 

 

 

 

 

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Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:27:22 +0100

"Anglican Communion News Service" acnslist@anglicancommunion.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement by the Secretary General on behalf of the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council.

 

The Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council accompanied the Archbishop of Canterbury to the meeting of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church which has been meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, between Wednesday 19 September and Tuesday 25 September.

 

We gathered at the invitation of presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and of the House of Bishops in order to converse with them about the current tensions encountered in the life of the communion.

 

On Monday 24 September, the Joint Standing Committee met in formal session to reflect on the conversations, both formal and informal, in which they had participated over the previous four days.

 

The Committee would like to express their profound thanks to the Presiding Bishop and to the House of Bishops for the generosity and graciousness of the welcome that they have received. 

 

They had also been invited by Bishop Charles Jenkins and the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana to witness something of the ministry of the Church, as it plays its part in the healing and renewal of the City of New Orleans in the wake of hurricane Katrina. So, after two days of engagement and listening on the Thursday and Friday, members of the Joint Standing Committee joined members of the House of Bishops and their spouses in participating in active mission projects in the city of New Orleans so grievously affected by Hurricane Katrina. 

 

The past few days have been a time of enormous learning and growth in mutual understanding. At the same time, the conversation has been honest, direct and even painful at times.  The Committee is conscious that some of its members, in reflecting the very real concerns of the wider Communion, have spoken in a way which could be seen as challenging or even offensive to the Bishops of the Episcopal Church.  Nevertheless, it has been important that each side has been honest, and free to speak the message which has been laid on their hearts.  The words of the members of the Archbishop and of the Joint Standing Committee were met with patience, generosity and an intensity of debate on the Monday and Tuesday which illustrates how seriously the concerns of the wider Communion are taken by the Episcopal House of Bishops.

 

The Joint Standing Committee is also conscious that the very life of the Communion is standing at a crossroads at present.  The Anglican Communion is a family of 44 autonomous churches.  There is no central body which can pass judgment or issue directions for the life of the Communion.  At the same time, however, it is the responsibility of the Instruments of Communion to enable conversation and discernment between the provinces and churches, and it was in this spirit that the Archbishop of Canterbury and the members of the Joint Standing Committee have approached this meeting.

 

A central focus of the discussions has been the requests of the Windsor Report to the Episcopal Church, as amplified by the Primates most recently at Dar es Salaam in February 2007.  At that meeting, the primates specifically addressed three questions arising from the Windsor Report to the Episcopal House of Bishops.

 

The primates had requested clarification on the status of Resolution

B033 of the 75th General Convention, and whether this did in fact reflect the request of the Windsor Report for a moratorium on the election and consecration of candidates for the episcopate who were living in a sexual relationship outside of Christian marriage. 

 

Secondly, the primates had asked that the Bishops, as the chief liturgical officers in their dioceses, should mutually undertake not to offer public liturgies for the blessing of same-sex unions. 

 

Thirdly, the primates had offered suggestions for the sort of pastoral care which could be offered in a way which enabled interventions from other provinces to cease.

 

While the Joint Standing Committee met in formal session on the Monday, the House of Bishops began their consideration of the concerns expressed to them by the wider Communion. 

 Letter from the Standing Committee

May 25, 2007

 

To the Parishes, Missions, Rectors, Priests-in-charge, Senior Wardens and Deans:

 

This letter supplements reports of the Standing Committee in the May Diocesan Newsletter and a separate mailing thereof, and also its report in the May-June Jamestown Cross, in which the Standing Committee reported on the activities which have taken place and will continue to take place in reference to the election of the 10^th bishop of the Diocese of Southern Virginia since Council 2007.  The highlights are as follows:

• ·      The Special Council will be held September 27, 2008. The bishop’s consecration will be at Annual Council, February 14, 2009.

• ·      To support this election, an election budget has been approved by the Executive Board.

• The Rev. William M. King, Canon to the Ordinary and Deployment Officer for the Diocese of Alabama, has been engaged as an election consultant. Mr. King was recommended to us by the Presiding Bishop’s office.

• ·      To assist us with communications locally, and as we advertise this position to the general church, the services of Mr. Dave Iwans of "Dave Iwans Associates" (DIA) has been engaged. DIA will construct an episcopal election web site, to be linked with a rehabilitated and improved Diocese web site. The election web site will enable the general church and interested persons to keep current with our election process. We are convinced of the importance of communication and transparency as we move forward, not only with this election, but as we gather as an Episcopal diocesan community.

• ·      The Rev. Julia Dorsey Loomis has agreed to serve as chaplain to the election process.

Attached for your information to this e-mail/mailing is the Bishop Election Time Line.

 

The initial event is very important in which the deans will be hosting meetings of their respective convocations scheduled in June and July.  The dates of the convocation meetings are attached.  The goal of the meetings is to bring all of us, every one of us, all parishes and missions of our diocese, into the bishop election process in as positive, thoughtful and broadly inclusive manner as possible, especially in light of our challenging history these past few years.  To accomplish the goal, there will be at every convocation meeting a brief program reflecting on WHO THIS DIOCESE IS NOW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THIS [INDIVIDUAL] CONVOCATION designed by our diocesan Christian Formation Missioner and the Transition Committee.  A facilitator will lead each of the discussions.

 

After this program, following the recommended bishop election process, The Raising Up of Episcopal Leadership, A Manual for Dioceses in Transition, authored and published  by The Episcopal Elections Leadership Project in cooperation with The Office of Pastoral Development of the House of Bishops, each convocation’s council delegates/alternates will select one clergy and one lay person, for a total of eighteen persons, to be a part of an election membership pool, from which the Nomination and New Ministry Committees will be formed. To provide as much representation of the diversity within the Diocese to the election membership pool, the Standing Committee will add six members, the total election membership pool being twenty-four persons. Taking into consideration the skills and declared interests of the persons in the membership pool, the Standing Committee will appoint from the election membership pool the members of the Nomination Committee and the New Ministry Committee.  A member of the Standing Committee will be present to answer questions in reference to the election process.

 

Finally, Chaplain Julia Dorsey has formulated prayers for the bishop election process which are attached to this letter.  It is our hope that any one (or more) of them, selected locally, will be included every time we gather for worship.  I have chosen one of the prayers to conclude this letter.

 

O God, in your wisdom and mercy you have entrusted us to Jesus, your Word made flesh:  Grant us his clear vision, kind heart, and self-giving love, as together we seek a Bishop for this diocese.  Through his Spirit may our wills be so gathered into your will that your reign of justice and love come on earth as in heaven.  In our blindness enlighten us, from our stubbornness free us, in the breaking of the bread renew us, that in all things and in every creature we may love you and serve you now and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

 

Faithfully,

 

For the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Southern Virginia   

The Hon. Gordon B. Tayloe Jr., President