General Convention 2006 #4
June 21
This General Convention has writhed in agony over various resolutions that attempted to respond to the Anglican Communion’s Windsor Report. After endless debate, we ended up saying that we regret having strained the bonds of affection in the events surrounding the General Convention of 2003 and apologized for not according sufficient importance to the impact of our actions (Resolution A160). We expressed our desire to remain a part of the Anglican Communion, offering to explore ways for inter-Anglican participation (not membership, as proposed) on our Standing Commissions of the church (A159), and committed ourselves to being a part of the process of developing a possible Anglican Covenant (without promising we’d sign anything) (A166).
The “apology” of A160 is not, as its conservatives rightly point out, an apology for having done what we did in consecrating Gene Robinson or performing same-gender blessings. It is regret for not fully appreciating ahead of time how painful an impact our proposed actions would prove to be. That’s probably fair to say.
But the most violent storm was the one that built inexorably up to today, the last day of convention, at the last minute. This came from the Windsor request that we not consecrate any more gay bishops and stop doing same-sex blessings. For 10 days there were public hearings, a raft of resolutions, endless debate, and finally, a dramatic showdown at the last minute: an extraordinary joint session of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, called by the Presiding Bishop.
In the end they didn’t prohibit gay blessings but they did urge dioceses to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate [that is, the office of bishop] whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion (B033).
It only passed with great pain and turmoil after emotional pleas from both the Presiding Bishop and the Presiding Bishop-elect to approve it. I don’t like it; many who voted for it didn’t like it; for us, it sacrifices gay and lesbian Episcopalians on the altar of unity. But the prevailing argument put forth by our Presiding Bishop was that this was a temporary step backward in order to make a step forward later, that if it were not passed, there would be no further dialog, that the new Presiding Bishop deserved a chance to engage in reconciliation, and that this was a time for generosity, humility, remaining in relationship, and waiting on the work of the Spirit.
We shall see if this sacrifice bears fruit. Outgoing Presiding Bishop Griswold says it already has. At least it will get the new PB in the door at meetings of Anglican primates and at Lambeth in the summer of 2008. Or at least it better.
An interesting note is that the moratorium on same-gender blessings that the House of Bishops undertook some time ago has expired, and this convention did nothing to renew it. Will the bishops renew it when they meet next? The current mood seems to indicate that they will. They’re the ones who will face the other bishops at Lambeth in 2008, and they seem to be intimidated (or humbled, if you prefer).
I feel unwilling to wait forever on this. I feel that what is being said to me would be like being asked not to do private confession or anointing for black people, because “so many have a hard time with that.” At some point, one must just move ahead. Again, in the words of Martin Luther King, This "Wait" has almost always meant 'Never." We must come to see...that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."
But on a more positive note, I am greatly encouraged by much from this convention: the attention paid to the Millennium Development Goals and the new PB’s strong commitment to them, the election of a woman as new PB, and the election of my friend Bonnie Anderson as the President of the House of Deputies (really the #2 position in the church). We are moving ahead in some very important ways.
I pray that we now find the strength to (as our new Presiding Bishop has said, and I paraphrase her here) be clearly and honestly ourselves in our continuing relationship with all others in the Anglican Communion, which is the only basis for real communion and any possible reconciliation. After that, I say, let the chips fall where they may.