DWTX from Anaheim – The House of Deputies on Sunday, July 12, passed a resolution that lays the question of the ordination of gay and lesbian persons at the door of Episcopal Church Constitution and Canons. Resolution D025 came out of extensive work by the World Mission Committee and sought to combine the sentiments of 13 resolutions that had been submitted to the committee regarding the ordination of gay and lesbian persons.
After two open hearings, several committee meetings, and two sessions in which the House of Deputies worked as a “committee of the whole” to discuss among themselves, World Mission brought a comprehensive resolution that asks The Episcopal Church (TEC) to remain an active participant of the Anglican Communion, continue the listening process with gay and lesbian people, acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church and members of the Anglican Communion are “not of one mind” on the issue, and affirm that “God has called and may call such individuals to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, which call is tested through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church.”
Title III of the canons states that no person can be denied the process of discernment to ordination because of, among other things, “sexual orientation.”
There has been, said Bishop Gary Lillibridge, an understanding that orientation is different from practice. Many are now questioning whether D025 moves the church beyond acceptance of orientation (and celibacy) to acceptance of behavior.
The resolution explanation from the World Mission Committee included that statement that “The acceptance of the ministry of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons is not settled in The Episcopal Church or in the Anglican Communion. While the church continues to discern God’s will in these matters, it is important to remind ourselves that sacramental theology since the time of Augustine of Hippo has affirmed that the validity of sacraments does not depend on the character of the ordained person celebrating those sacraments.”
The Rev. Gay Jennings (Ohio), chair of the Committee on World Mission, said the committee chose this resolution as its vehicle to describe the mind of the church. “It is the best reflection of where we are today as a church on episcopal elections and the Anglican Communion,” she said at the start of debate.
The question of whether or not this resolution overturns Resolution B033, passed at the 2006 General Convention, that called for The Episcopal Church to “exercise restraint” in ordaining practicing gay and lesbian persons to the Episcopate was not clear. When a deputy from Central Florida asked if it did, Chairman Jennings said only that the resolution is “operating within the canons of the church.”
The deputy replied that he took that “as open to interpretation. Some will regard this as ending B033 and some will not; the two bodies that must interpret it are diocesan standing committees and bishops.” He added that when “we send fuzzy signals” to the Anglican Communion, “they get confused about our relationship.”
The 30-minute debate was interrupted frequently by parliamentary maneuverings such as two calls to “divide the resolution” and several motions to amend. The vote was taken by orders, which means that each deputation gets one vote for the lay deputation and one for the clerical deputation. Whether that is a “yes” or “no” vote is determined by a formula wherein if a majority of the members in the deputation votes “yes” it is recorded as a “yes” vote and if a majority votes “no” it is recorded as a “no” vote. If the vote is divided (two members vote “yes,” two vote “no”) that is recorded as a “no” vote. The final vote was 77-31 in favor in the lay order and 74-25 in the clergy order.
The resolution now goes to the House of Bishops where it must be passed without amendment to become effective.
Tags: House of Deputies, Resolutions