House of Deputies in session with President Bonnie Anderson on the marquee screen. (Photo courtesy Episcopal News Service)

The following article first appeared in the July/August 2009 edition of Encompass, a bi-monthly publication focused on news and events within the Anglican Communion. Click here to receive this newsletter via email, or join the American Anglican Council and receive a hard copy in your mailbox!

By Ralinda B. Gregor, Executive Editor

In spite of a personal appeal by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams not to make "decisions in the coming days that could push us further apart," the 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, meeting July 8-17 in Anaheim, Calif., overwhelmingly passed resolutions that effectively overturn the Windsor moratoria.

At least 28 resolutions were submitted to permit the consecration of non-celibate homosexual bishops or allow rites for same-sex blessings or marriage, and these were revised and consolidated by committees into two resolutions which clearly contradict Holy Scripture and the mind of the Communion expressed in 1998 Lambeth resolution 1.10.

The first resolution, D025, "Commitment and Witness to Anglican Communion," states that "God has called and may call such individuals [partnered gays and lesbians], to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church" through the discernment process and in accordance with the Constitution and Canons. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson were quick to point out that the resolution is "descriptive rather than prescriptive" and does not repeal resolution B033.

However, during the House of Bishops debate, Bishop Shannon Johnston (co-adjutor Virginia) said, "We do need to face the fact-the plain fact-that this is a repudiation of B033. It's just in other guise. It is the repudiation of B033 and therefore breaks the faith with what the Communion has asked us to continue to walk with them on." Furthermore, in published remarks both Church of England Bishop N.T. Wright and Integrity President Susan Russell agreed that the resolution permits gay bishops, and even the General Convention's daily newsletter headline for July 15 stated, "Bishops approve opening ordination to gays."

Since then, the diocese of Minnesota has nominated a partnered lesbian for bishop and the diocese of Los Angeles has nominated a partnered lesbian and a partnered gay man for suffragan bishop.

The second resolution, C056, "Liturgies for Blessings," calls for the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops to "collect and develop" liturgies for same-sex blessings for consideration at the next General Convention and authorizes bishops to "provide generous pastoral response," especially but not solely in states where same gender marriage or civil unions are permitted. One of the most telling statements in the House of Bishops debate came from Bishop Steven Charleston, assistant bishop of California, who said, "We need a fine line between not trying to seem to rush rather than standing still." Resolution C056 begins the process of developing official rites while giving bishops permission to authorize various "unofficial" same-sex blessing rites.

Above: During General Convention, Episcopalians joined with local workers to march on Disneyland—a short walk from the Convention center—and protest what they claimed was the theme park’s hike in employee health insurance costs. (Photo courtesy Episcopal News Service.)

Thirty six bishops signed a minority response sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The "Anaheim Statement" reaffirmed their commitment to membership in the Communion, participation in the covenant process, upholding of the three moratoria, and their "commitment to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as this Church has received them." However, ten of those bishops also voted in favor of D025 and/or C056, thus sending a mixed message about their intentions.

Communion Response
These resolutions were met with unusually direct criticism from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Although he expressed his appreciation for TEC's desire to remain part of the Communion, he said the issue is not one of human rights but rather "that a certain choice of lifestyle has certain consequences. So long as the Church Catholic, or even the Communion as a whole does not bless same-sex unions, a person living in such a union cannot without serious incongruity have a representative function in a Church whose public teaching is at odds with their lifestyle." He argued that just because society changes the way it views homosexual behaviour, that does not "count as a reason for the Church to change its discipline." The Archbishop reiterated the possibility of a "two-track" Communion in which all parties would be free to cooperate in mission but only the covenanted track would participate in "ecumenical interchanges and processes."

His reflection omitted any reference to actual actions he might take in response to the decisions of General Convention, but Bishop N.T. Wright offered some suggestions-many of which parallel those made by the American Anglican Council (see related article on page 2)-that might be an attempt to see what measures garner the support of the Anglican provinces.

The standing committee of the Province of Southeast Asia also responded to the decisions of General Convention, calling them an "abrogation by TEC of the agreed-to moratorium" that "moves TEC irretrievably away from the orthodox position of the rest of the Anglican Communion." The standing committee also pledged its support and prayers to orthodox Communion Partners dioceses and parishes that remain in TEC.

Worshippers at an American Anglican Council sponsored Eucharist at General Convention.

Other actions

Controversial resolutions were prominent at General Convention, and the gathering did not lack for controversial rhetoric. In her opening remarks to the bishops and deputies, Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori took a swipe at confessional Christianity, calling it "the great Western heresy-that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God." She claimed that this heresy is "caricatured" in the belief that "salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus," discounting the words in Romans 10:9 that call for this very act.

But even as the presiding bishop blasted individual salvation and praised the interconnectedness, or Ubuntu, of the church, the decisions made at General Convention revealed the autonomous path chosen by TEC.

Resolution D020, which would have committed TEC to provisionally abide by the most recent draft of the Anglican Covenant, was gutted, and the final version directs the church to merely study and comment on the draft and make recommendations to the 77th General Convention.

Just as preceding General Conventions discharged a resolution concerning salvation through Christ alone (D058, 2006) and rejected the authority of Scripture (B001, 2003), this convention failed to affirm the uniqueness of Christ in a multi-faith society through resolution C069 which was modeled on a motion passed by the Church of England General Synod in February. The resolution was discharged partly because deputies had not read the CofE report and partly because some believed another resolution adequately expressed these issues. While that resolution, A074, does include some statements about the uniqueness of Christ, it is primarily a statement on interfaith dialogue and interreligious relations. It denies the value of evangelizing other faiths, and despite a last minute rewrite during the convention, it still implies universalism and subtly suggests Christianity is one of many valid paths to God.

As expected, General Convention passed a budget with significant cuts to major programs. Funding for lawsuits against departing parishes remains strong, however, with $4 million budgeted for the next triennium. A resolution (C067) calling for the disclosure of the amount and sources of litigation funding to date, as well as the value of properties expected to be retained by that litigation, was rejected.

One of the more surprising developments was the overwhelming support for transgender "rights" at this General Convention. Through resolution D012, TEC will advocate for the passage of local, state and federal laws which prohibit "discrimination based on gender identity or the expression of one's gender identity" and treat violence against transgendered individuals as a hate crime. TEC has also committed not to discriminate against individuals based on their gender identity or gender expression when considering them for lay employment. The resolution, D032, uses equal opportunity legal language and lists in one place all the protected categories. Transgender Episcopalians are likely to receive more attention since both houses approved resolution D090 which requires church forms to be revised so that individuals can indicate their legal name, preferred name, preferred pronoun and gender identity on all paperwork.

Taken together, these actions clearly show where TEC is headed as they move farther away from the mainstream of Anglicanism and Christianity. The only question that remains is what will the Communion do about it?