The 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church met in Anaheim, California last month. This was the 76th time the Episcopal Church has met in convention since their first in 1785 held in Philadelphia. At this first convention it was determined that a bicameral house in which elected (rather than appointed by the sovereign, as in England) bishops would make up one house and lay and ordained deputies equally represented would make up the other house.
All bishops of the Episcopal Church, active and retired, are entitled to seat, voice and vote in the House of Bishops. Each of the Episcopal dioceses in the United States are entitled to elect eight deputies, four lay persons and four priests or deacons, to the House of Deputies. The House of Bishops and House of Deputies meet, deliberate and vote separately. To be enacted resolutions must pass both houses in the same language. Both houses have the right to amend legislation but the amendment must be accepted by the other house.
One of the pressing issues that needed attention at the convention was whether to comply with the “Windsor Report,” an international Anglican document that asks that Episcopalians in the United States express regret for the consecration of a practicing gay Bishop Gene Robinson and to cease and desist in ordaining openly gay men and women to the episcopacy. Robinson’s election brought the 77 million-member Anglican Communion to the brink of schism. In fact in June, breakaway Episcopal conservatives and other traditionalists formed a rival national province called the Anglican Church in North America.
At convention bishops voted 99-45 for a statement declaring “God has called and may call” to ministry gays in committed lifelong relationships. This is known as Resolution DO25. The House of Deputies had already comfortably approved a nearly identical statement and accepted the bishops’ version easily. Leaders of the Anglican Communion had been pushing Episcopalians to stop their support for gays and lesbians since 2003, when V. Gene Robinson was consecrated bishop. In an attempt to calm tensions, the Episcopal General Convention three years ago passed a resolution that urged restraint by dioceses considering gay candidates for bishop. No other Episcopal bishops living openly with same-sex partners have been consecrated since then.
Another vexing resolution that was passed at this year’s convention was Resolution CO56 that calls for the collection and development of theological resources for the blessing of same-gender blessings and allows bishops to provide “a generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church.” Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who leads the Episcopal Church in the United States, was among the bishops who voted to approve these declarations.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the head of the Anglican Communion of which the Episcopal Church is part, expressed his concern about the approval of these resolutions. In his written response, he repeatedly made reference to the need to frame local church decisions with an eye on how they affect Anglican unity and ecumenical partners. The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity appreciated Archbishop Williams’ remarks in a July 29th statement. It stated that the Vatican office “supports the archbishop in his desire to strengthen these bonds of communion, and to articulate more fully the relationship between the local and the universal within the church. It is our prayer that the Anglican Communion, even in this difficult situation, may find a way to maintain its unity and its witness to Christ as a worldwide communion.”
Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Office for Promoting Christian Unity explained that while recognizing Episcopalians’ desire to respond to what they see as a pastoral need, he said the Catholic Church is convinced that its teachings do not allow homosexual activity and believes that Christ chose only men to be his apostles and therefore is not authorized to ordain women.
Dialogue between the Anglican Communion and Catholic Church will continue as we strive to listen to one another, even when we disagree.
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