Both the Church of England General Synod and the US Episcopalian General Convention have been meeting this week. Cyberspace is full of commentary. In our Anglican dispersed authority way of doing things, these are the highest-level legislative bodies for those Churches. Together bishops, clergy and laity discuss, consider and decide. This does mean that there are differences of approach and style and even content across the various national Churches flowing out of the English tradition. As we all know, some of these differences are becoming more pronounced. They exist here in Australia. A mutual respect for difference across cultural and historical divides would be helpful. And perhaps a large dose of those gifts of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. Instead there are calls everywhere for division or schism. We are not, it is declared, able to stay in the same institution with such differences.
The key issue that divides is same-sex relations and in particular the ordination or consecration of otherwise qualified people who are in committed relationship. The American vote was on Tuesday July 14th.
The Episcopal Church General Convention 2009 Resolution D025
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm the value of "listening to the experience of homosexual persons," as called for by the Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998, and acknowledge that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships "characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (2000-D039); and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships have responded to God's call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, and that God's call to the ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church is a mystery which the Church attempts to discern for all people through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters.
Our own General Synod is here in Melbourne next year. Without question this will be on the agenda. What might we say and do?
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