The Journey includes subsidiarity

Throughout the day, Wednesday 15 July, we worked on various resolutions as we prepared to hear the budget from Program, Budget and Finance Committee in a joint session with the House of Deputies in the early afternoon. The budget is on line and I have not had time to study it in much depth, so I will only say that from my initial impressions looking over the document is that it is obvious that the cuts are deep and the ministries across the board are affected. The economic situation has made a deep impact upon The Episcopal Church in it mission and ministry. One of my fellow bishops reminded us all that this is the time to understand again the Doctrine of Subsidiarity which only means that whatever needs to be done should be accomplished on the lowest level possible. So rather than have The Episcopal Church do certain ministries, individual dioceses, congregations and laity should be encouraged to do the ministry to which we are all called through our Baptisms. That is one way of looking at this challenge as opportunity for us to find ways to reach out and into those areas within our local communities (and beyond) that need to hear the Word and experience the Healing Touch of the Gospel. That is my reflection as I try and put a more hopeful “spin” on our need to do mission and ministry.

During the late afternoon the House of Bishops considered Resolution C056 which we had begun the day before. It was a contentious resolution for many of us and we formed a committee that would bring back a substitute resolution expressing a more pastoral response to those in need and with which we could find some hope for all of us in the future. The substitute resolution after vigorous debate and many failed and accepted amendments finally passed the House of Bishops with a margin of 3 to 1. Let me say here that although I voted in the negative, that if it is passed in the House of Deputies, it is a resolution with which I can live and I believe could bring us closer together in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. It is not a perfect document yet it is truthful about where we are as a society, The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. In a conversation last evening I was asked what “spin” I was going to put on this resolution. I thought for a minute and said, “The truth as I experience it.” I am very grateful to my fellow bishops who worked on this resolution and listened to one another. I hope and pray that this collegial and collaborative method of working together (the Indaba approach practiced at the 2008 Lambeth Conference) will continue within the House of Bishops. Today we move into the last push of our work together as the General Convention. Blessing and grace be with you all.

In His PAX, Bishop Duncan

The Journey has an interlude

There is a saying that goes something like this: don’t use technical solutions to address/fix adaptive problems.

Today the House of Bishops addressed a number of resolutions under the rules of order and we either voted them up (approved) or voted them down (did not approve) them to become enacted within the life of the Church.

You may track the day's legislation through the Media Hub, far right box labeled "Legislative Tracker."

Two of the resolutions were: A185 and A074.

Resolution A185 from the Committee on Canons proposed revision to Title IV and completely amended the entire section of the Constitution and Canons for the Government of The Episcopal Church. This has been in process for over six years and offers to the Church a new way to look at the Ecclesiastical Discipline. It was approved and is a very fine work. It seeks to offer both grace and confrontation to those who have been accused of doing wrong and seeks to protect all God’s children from those who would abuse or harm them. I was impressed with this work.

Resolution A074 is from the General Convention Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue. This is a Committee of which I am a member and I also serve on the Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious which has worked on perfecting this document for over five years. It is still not perfect, but it is a superb document that seeks to articulate a rationale for the Episcopal Church to enter into interreligious dialog. It explores who we are as The Episcopal Church within the Anglican Communion and why we are interested in interreligious relationships. The core of the document begins with the words, “We affirm the foundational Gospel proclamation the “Jesus is Lord.” We are committed to share who and whose we are and to know all of God’s children. This document is for those in congregations and Diocesan Committees who want to have a theological and practical context in which to engage in interreligious dialog. One other aspect of the document is its understanding of sharing with each other. This work is important as the world we engage continues to become more pluralistic and we encounter more people who are not Christian. It is my hope that this is an area that we as a diocese will be able to engage more fully.

These two resolutions are both technical fixes for the work needed to be completed and it was under the rules of order. There was wonderful embrace of many of the resolution that tell the story of who we are as Episcopalians.

The House of Bishops also began a process that is not a technical fix as a way of dealing with a more controversial resolution. I believe and hope that this will allow grace to enter into relationships as another method and another way to deal with our divisions. We went into executive session as an appointed committee gathered to rewrite the resolution so that the maximum number of people would not be excluded and become marginalized by the outcome of the process. It is a process to draw people into community. This method is an adaptive “fix” that makes use of the “interlude” we are in at the present time. I am most grateful for this process and I will be able to say more about this tomorrow. In the meantime, there is lots to do and consider as we begin to move deeper into the rush as the General Convention moves towards its conclusion. I pray my blessing to you all and God’s love. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

PAX, Bishop Duncan

Sometimes the Journey is like a Dance

Today, I include a good portion of the Blog from The Rev. Thack Dyson because it is interesting, centered and from the perspective of the House of Deputies; and I agree with what he has to say. I have edited some of his thoughts and added my own remarks and comments as well. Thanks to all our deputies for their work.

The House of Deputies of the 76th General Convention wrestled with its first major resolution yesterday in Resolution D025. The House, by more than a 2-1 margin, adopted a resolution that declares the ordination process of the Episcopal Church open to all individuals, while expressing its ongoing commitment to the Anglican Communion. The split in the vote surprised many of the deputations. The vote was 77-31 in the lay order and 74-25 in the clergy order. The House of Bishops approved D025 today, also by a 2-1 margin with a vote of 99-45 and 2 abstentions, which is consistent with the House of Deputies.

So what is Resolution D025? Resolution D025 was offered in response to resolution B033, which was adopted in Columbus, Ohio at the 75th General Convention in 2006. B033 urged restraint concerning the election of bishops whose "manner of life" would cause offense to the wider Anglican Communion. It was essentially the Episcopal Church's "official" response to the request in the 2004 Windsor Report, that the Church refrain from electing practicing gay and lesbian bishops and others whose manner of life might be a challenge to the Anglican Communion. The Windsor Report was in part the result of the election of The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. Though B033 was not an outright prohibition from ordination, it was hoped dioceses would be sensitive to the fact that actions in The Episcopal Church do have global implications.

Resolution D025 essentially (clearly states) reaffirms the continued participation of the Episcopal Church as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion; reaffirms the Episcopal Church’s financial support of the Anglican Communion; acknowledges that the Listening Process with gay and lesbian people has resulted in the General Convention’s recognition that gay and lesbian people can and do live in relationships marked by fidelity and love; that gay and lesbian people are involved in ministry in the Church; that God has called and may call any individual in the church to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church, in accordance with the discernment process as set forth in the Constitution and Canons of the Church; and acknowledges that the Anglican Communion is not of one mind on these issues.

So what does this mean?

This Resolution does not require the Dioceses of the Central Gulf Coast nor me as the Bishop, nor any of the clergy to do anything except not prohibit any aspirant for Holy Orders from entering into the discernment process or becoming a deacon or priest, because of orientation or that he or she is involved in a committed relationship. This resolution is not stating anything new. The Canons of the Church already provide that no one can be prohibited from consideration for Holy Orders because of age, gender, race or sexual orientation. Regardless of the passage of D025, any aspirant for Holy Orders must still be qualified and comply with all canonical requirements, rules and restrictions. More important, they must also be called by God to ordained ministry as anyone else in the discernment process seeking/considering ordination.

D025 is not going to change the life, mission and ministry of the Church as this is lived out in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. I have spoken with the clergy and lay deputies this evening and told them of our desire to move forward in the continued work and witness we share in our diocese. Some within the Diocese may want to overreact and be anxious. There is no need for that behavior and that spiritual unease. We are called to welcome, care for and love all God’s children. We are to seek and serve Christ in all persons loving our neighbor as ourselves. We are to respect the dignity of every human being. We will continue to do so. When one looks beyond individual issues and at the broader picture, this is what the Episcopal Church is all about and why we believe our tradition is a precious gem to be valued and preserved for future generations. Jesus is Lord! This is God’s Church and God’s work will continue to be done through it, in the congregations and communities in which we live. May God continue to bless you and please continue to keep us in your prayers.

I am in Christ’s PAX, Bishop Duncan