
The Episcopal Church, USA and homosexuality
The 2006 General Convention: Part 2
Responding to the Windsor Report

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This essay is a continuation from Part 1

Responding to the Windsor Report:
The Lambeth Commission on Communion was formed in 2003 to find ways by which
believers
throughout the Anglican Communion could
agree to disagree over the question of homosexuality and thereby prevent schism of the Communion.
There existed, and still exists, a wide range of beliefs about homosexual
orientation and behavior within the Communion. These are primarily caused by cultural
differences among the various provinces. On 2004-OCT-18, the Commission's 92 page
"Windsor Report" was released to the public. 1 The Commission found certain actions by the Episcopal Church, USA and
Anglican Church of Canada to be unacceptable. They expressed regrets: "...that without attaching sufficient importance to the
interests of the wider Communion,
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the Episcopal Church (USA) proceeded with the consecration of Gene
Robinson,
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the Diocese of New Westminster approved the use of public Rites for the
Blessing of same sex unions, and
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the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada issued a statement
affirming the integrity and sanctity of committed same sex relationships."
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Concerning the election and consecration of a gay
bishop in a loving and committed relationship, the commission "invited"
the Episcopal Church, USA to:
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"...express its regret that the
proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached in the events
surrounding the election and consecration of a bishop for the See of New
Hampshire, and for the consequences which followed, and that such an
expression of regret would represent the desire of the Episcopal Church
(USA) to remain within the Communion.
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"...effect a moratorium on the election and consent to the consecration
of any candidate to the episcopate who is living in a same gender union
until some new consensus in the Anglican Communion emerges." 2
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Considering that it has taken three decades after
the ordination of the first woman priest before a slim majority of Provinces allow female ordination, it would probably take many generations before a new
consensus could possibly emerge in the Communion about homosexual bishops. Concerning public rites of blessing of loving and committed same-sex unions
they recommended:
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"...a moratorium on all such public Rites, and recommend that bishops
who have authorized such rites in the United States and Canada be invited to
express regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were
breached by such authorization."
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"...that provinces take responsibility for endeavoring to
ensure commitment on the part of their bishops to the common life of the
Communion on this matter." 3
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On JUN-20, the delegates to the Episcopal Church's general convention
were presented with Resolution 161 which would have accepted the Windsor
Report's requests. It would have urged bishops and dioceses to refrain from
electing bishops "whose manner of life presents a
wider challenge to the wider church." It also directed the denomination to
not develop rites for blessing same-sex unions. According to the Episcopal News
Service (ENS): "It affirmed the need to provide pastoral care for gay and
lesbian Episcopalians -- and at the same time apologized to gays and lesbians
for those decisions." It was overwhelmingly rejected with a vote of 67 to 44 by
the clergy order and 71 to 38 by the lay order. Both orders must approve a
resolution before it is implemented. The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson Jr., bishop of
Upper South Carolina, who is the chairperson of the Special Legislative
Committee on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, proposed
Resolution B033. 4
The text reads:
"Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 75th
General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Report’s invitation to
engage in a process of healing and reconciliation; and be it further
Resolved, that this Convention therefore call upon Standing
Committees and bishops with jurisdiction 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." 5
Presiding Bishop Griswold expressed concern that the
delegates might not be able to compromise on a suitable statement. He said:
"If we don't have something substantial, it
will be very difficult for the Archbishop of Canterbury to invite the
Presiding Bishop to the Lambeth Conference. I do know the complexity of what
the Archbishop dealing with, in communion terms, and he needs for something
clear to come from the Episcopal Church." 6
The bishops debated to
amendments that would have weakened B033. This ceased after Presiding
Bishop-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori urged support for the original
resolution. She drew an analogy between the Episcopal Church as part of the
larger Anglican Communion and the fate of conjoined twins. The analogy occurred to her when
Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana talked about there being one church and two
minds. She said:
"Ethically, one cannot proceed to separate two conjoined twins until one
is reasonably certain both can survive on their own and live full lives. I
don't think we're certain that the two offspring are capable of living
separately and healthily. My sense is that the original resolution is the
best that we're going to do today. But I can only support it if we
understand that it's not slamming the door. It has to leave the door open
for further conversation and consideration in the very near future....[She
confirmed that she is] fully committed to the full inclusion of gay and
lesbian Christians in this church. I certainly don't understand adopting
this resolution as slamming the door. I think if you do pass this resolution
you have to be willing to keep working with all your might at finding a
common mind in this church. I don't find this an easy thing to say to you,
but I think that is the best we are going to manage at this point in our
church's history."
B033 passed with a vote of 75 to 34 in the clergy order, and 73 to 32 in the
lay order. Its passage was denounced by individuals on both sides: conservatives
were very displeased because it did not accept the Windsor Report's
recommendations. Liberals were very displeased because it treated homosexuals
and bisexuals as second-class members of the church.
The Rev Dr George Byron Koch, Pastor of the
Church of the Resurrection, West Chicago, IL, said:
"The 'conservative' side –
whether you agree with it or not – truly does represent the long standing
belief of the church about how God has ordered sexual relations. Physically,
men and women are designed for sexual union. Men with men and women with
women are not: they may devise means for intimacy, but it is not 'natural,'
and the church has long understood this, and understood scripture to clearly
say so. This is not by any stretch of the imagination an 'extreme wing' of
the church."
"The 'liberal' side –
whether you agree with it or not – believes the long standing beliefs of the
church on this subject are wrong, and that God has ordered sexual relations
to include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender forms. (transgender
means needing an operation to change your gender because you believe you
were born into the wrong gendered body.) They believe that the Holy Spirit
is 'doing a new thing' in revealing this broader sexuality model to the
church."7
Both the liberal and conservative wings
of the Episcopal Church are totally convinced that their side is right. They
regard the other side as being outside of the clear will of God. That mind set
is what makes dialog and compromise so difficult.
ENS reported:
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"Deputies debated for 30 minutes before voting. Speakers in support of
the measure said they found the resolution to be imperfect but it should be
adopted anyway."
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James Bradberry from the Diocese of Southern Virginia said his support
of the failed A161 "was the only vote I've ever cast about which I am
genuinely ashamed." He urged adoption of B033 because it would tell the
Anglican Communion "we have struggled and done our best, and this is what
we have to offer."
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Philip Linder from the Diocese of Upper South Carolina said: |
"Our presiding bishop and new presiding bishop[-elect] have spoken
with clarity about what it will take for us to remain at the table of
conversation with the worldwide Anglican Communion....We are a
passionate body, but the Anglican Communion is passionate, too."
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The Rev. Andrew Cooley of the Diocese of Colorado said: |
"We are in a centrifuge that is spinning faster and faster, so the
left and the right look the same. The center requires strength, courage
and a deliberation to remain."
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Tim Baer of the Diocese of Oklahoma said: |
"I realized at this General Convention that I represent the mushy
middle. I hope someday in the future the church I love so much will be
beyond this debate and engaged in mission."
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The Rev. John Spencer of the Diocese of Quincy said this resolution
would not satisfy the requests made of the Episcopal Church by the Windsor
Report: |
"It's not even in the ballpark of the request. It's not even in the
parking lot of the ballpark. [Adopting the language of this resolution]
comes close to the height of hypocrisy". 6
The resolution fell far short of almost all of the requests cited in the Windsor
report. The denomination:
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Ignored the request to express regret at the confirmation of Bishop
Robinson's consecration. This would presumably require them to say that they
had made a mistake.
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Ignored the request to express regret at the distress that their
decisions caused to the larger Anglican Communion.
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Implied that the Episcopal Church wants to stay in the Anglican
Communion.
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Did declare a non-binding suggestion for a moratorium on the future
consecration priests who life exhibits certain, not specifically stated,
behaviors. |
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Ignored the request for a firm moratorium on the recognition of loving,
committed same-sex relationships.
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Ignored the request that their bishops be pressured to not allow
same-sex rituals. |

This topic continues in Part 3

References:The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
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"General Findings," Commission on Communion, at: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/
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"On elections to the episcopate," Commission on Communion, at: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/
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"On public Rites of Blessing of same sex unions," Commission on Communion, at: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/
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Matthew Davies, "From Columbus: Major Windsor action draws mixed
reactions," Episcopal News Service, 2006-JUN-21, at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/
- "Final version...Resolution B033," at: http://gc2006.org/
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Pat McCaughan, et al,. "UPDATE:
From Columbus: Convention responds to Windsor Report's call for moratorium," Episcopal News Service, 2006-JUN-21, at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/
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George Byron Koch, "Future of the Episcopal Church and Church of the
Resurrection, West Chicago," 2006-JUN-29, at: http://www.resurrection.org/

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Copyright © 2005 to 2011 by Ontario Consultants on
Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2011-JUN-11
Author: B.A. Robinson

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