At a joint meeting of Deputies and Bishops called by Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, the Convention was presented with Resolution B033 titled “On Election of Bishops” proposed by the Rt Revd Dorsey Henderson of Upper South Carolina. The resolution 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 the communion.
(UPDATE official text of the resolution here)
ENS carries the text of Bishop Griswold’s speech to the joint session.
The bishops then left the Hall of Deputies to consider the resolution.
After several attempts to amend the second clause the Bishops adopted B033 on a voice vote. The resolution was delivered to the House of Deputies at 12:15, shortly after its President surrendered the Chair to the President Elect.
The Deputies interrupted their debate to hear a plea from Presiding Bishop Elect Katharine Jefferts Schori who urged them to concur in the resolution despite its shortcomings, saying it was the best that could be expected.
After several failed amendments the time allotted for debate expired and the vote-by-orders ballot began. At 1:30 p.m. the result of the vote was announced.
| Yes | No | Divided | |
| Lay | 72 | 21 | 7 |
| Clerical | 75 | 24 | 4 |
The House of Deputies concurs in Resolution B033.
UPDATE ENS report on the resolution and debate here
Other reports:
BBC has US Church eases gay bishop stance
Reuters Episcopal Church votes to curb gay bishops
Telegraph Episcopal delegates reject temporary ban on gay bishops
The question now: will the coming break-up of TEC and the AC be a Czechoslovakian break-up or a Yugoslavian break-up. We need a Havel at the head of both TEC and the AC to make it the former rather than the latter. I don’t think we have one in either position.
This is unfortunate.
Steven
Now that TEC has given the Anglican Communion its pound of flesh (flesh filet’d off its LGBT members), anyone guess that the +Akinolas and +Wrights and +Nazir-Alis (not to mention +Duncan and +Iker) will be remotely satisfied?
:-(…
Well, well, well! God of surprises at the last minute to midnight and some deep insight from the first woman Presiding Bishop. Let’s keep praying for the ramifications and responses.
As one of those members who, in the words of J. C. Fisher, has been filet’d, I am uncertain what to make of this. If this will bring reconciliation I am glad for it. Although, I still wonder if such appeasement will have any positive results. Lambeth ’98 and The Windsor Report urged all Anglicans to listen to the LGBT community in the Church. Despite this, Archbishop Akinola has openly supported civil criminal laws, not only jailing homosexuals but also those that speak for LGBT rights. Further his disputes with the Church in Brazil and in South Africa indicates an… Read more »
So, no moratorium on blessing of gay partnerships, and only a *request* to “exercise restraint” in appointing Bishops whose “manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church” (whatever that means – maybe no more conservative anglo-catholic Bishops in ECUSA?) rather than imposing a Moratorium on gay-partnered bishops (ie the issue that caused the problem). Anyway, before anyone says that this is just conservatÃve nit-picking, I understand that Bishop Chane and other liberals are already openly dissenting, even from B033. Maybe they will decline the “call to exercise restraint”.. An effective moritorium would have required a change of Canon,… Read more »
ps Presumably +Beisner got through justin time, as his three marriages would count in most Anglcans’ eyes as a “manner of life [that] presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on the communion].
I aincerely hope that other conservatives react like you, Dave. The sooner this sorry edifice crashes down, the better!
I understand that the network or aac or whatever have issued a statement saying they deplore TEC’s refusal to comply with Windsor. They go on to say that they will not agree to gay bishops and they will not bless same sex unions. Now, they never would have done these things anyway, so what’s the deal? Nobody is compelled to do these things now. They go on to say that they will offer pastoral succor to those in other dioceses who need it – words to that effect – I don’t have the text before me – THUS VIOLATING WINDSOR… Read more »
I feel very sad for all those GLBT clergy who are more than qualified to lead but will be passed over for being “unclean?”…. If anyone cares, NPR has an interview from I believe 2005 where +Duncan belittles his deceased lesbian sister. If being straight is the only qualification for being a bishop then we’re all in trouble or joining the society of friends. As for the ABC, maybe he’d like to let Akinola select our bishops for us in TEC? He certainly hasn’t said anything about the homosexuality laws enacted, with support from Akinola, in Nigeria. He (ABC) hasn’t… Read more »
JC Fisher writes:
“anyone guess that the +Akinolas and +Wrights and +Nazir-Alis (not to mention +Duncan and +Iker) will be remotely satisfied?”
Puh-leeeze!!! Come on, JC, are you REALLY unable to distinguish the position of + Thomas Dunelm: and + Michael Roffen: from that of Abp. Akinola? For a start, neither prelate advocates throwing homosexuals in the slammer.
Ah! ‘border crossing’ – it sounds so … so transgressive! I LIKE it!
Steven, I wish someone would cross my border. I live in the Pittsburgh Diocese of Robert Duncan. Please transgress.
I’m with Robert Christian above! I live in the Diocese of Dallas and desperately wish we could get some border-crossing going on by the likes of +Steven Charleston or +John Chane 😉