Last month Catholic and Episcopalian ecumenical representatives met in Berkeley, Calif. and continued their ongoing discussion of “Ecclesiology and Moral Discernment: Common Ground and Divergences.” This group is the United States branch of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation (ARC-USA).
Bishop Ronald P. Herzog of the Catholic Diocese of Alexandria, La., and Bishop John Bauerschmidt of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee chaired the meeting. Bishop Herzog explained that “one of the primary tasks of this round of dialogue is to examine what has led our churches to come to very differenct conclusions regarding the morality of certain actions, especially in the area of human sexuality. We also acknowledge that we agree on many other moral questions. I have been impressed by the way in which both sides have been listening to each other with a spirit of patience and generosity as we search for common ground on these vexing moral issues.”
The Episcopalian/Anglican church is widely divided over their views of human sexuality and homosexuality in particular. In general the differences in the opinion seem to be geographical. For instance, Anglican groups in North America, Central America, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand and Southern Africa tend to lean toward an inclusive view of homosexuality. However, a majority of Anglican churches in Africa (where the majority of Anglicans reside) and the West Indies hold that the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin and they are threatening to leave the Anglican Church if the church continues to condone homosexual behavior.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, leader of the Episcopal Church USA, has said “that growing awareness does not deny the reality that many Anglicans and not a few Episcopalians still fervently hold traditional views of human sexuality. This Episcopal Church is a broad and inclusive enough tent to hold that variety.”
She has equated homosexuality with allowing Gentiles in the early church, stating, “There was never a time when all members of Israel or of the Christian churches agreed on all major matters.” All this while the mother church in England has stated that marriage is something to be held between a man and a woman, but does acknowledge that many members of the congregation are homosexual. They accept homosexuals into the church and work against the fear, discrimination and condemnation of homosexuals. They do not permit, unlike the Episcopal Church, homosexuals to be members of the clergy nor will they bless same sex unions.
Discussions centered on two Episcopalian statements, both issued after the denomination’s 2003 ordination of the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson and two statements from the Catholic Church which applied the traditional teaching in a pastoral context. These documents included “To Set Our Hope on Christ, A Response to the Invitation of Windsor Report 135,” a 2005 unofficial response by the Episcopal Church to a request from the Anglican Consultative Council, and “Same-Sex Relationships in the Life of the Church,” an unofficial statement prepared in 2010 by the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church. Two Catholic statements also were studied, including “Always Our Children: A Pastoral Message to Parents of Homosexual Children and Suggestions for Pastoral Ministers” by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Marriage and Family and the USCCB’s “Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care.”
These same themes will be picked up and discussed next month at a new phase of the international Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue which will take place at a monastery in northern Italy. Ten Catholic and 10 Anglican experts in ecumenism will meet at the Monastery of Bose. The third phase of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) will discuss the fundamental questions regarding the “Church as Communion – Local and Universal, and How in Communion the Local and Universal Church Comes to Discern Right Ethical Teaching.” These themes arose out of discussions between Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Anglican leader, during the pope’s visit to England last year.
While our denominations are far apart on many issues related to human sexuality, it is important that we continue the dialogue, with respect and patience.
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