This is good news. While the media is likely to position this story in such a way to be sensational, the resolution includes some compelling components that are important to note:

1. In accordance with the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, the resolution recognizes that discrimination of individuals based on race, age, gender or sexual orientation does not have a place in the discernment process of our ministry.
2. The resolution recognizes that God’s call to the ordained ministry in the church is a mystery.
3. The resolution recognizes that we are not all of one mind on the issue of sexuality.
4. The resolution was written in a way that would allow dioceses to consider anyone as a candidate to the episcopacy regardless of sexual orientation, but does not mandate that all dioceses do so.
5. The resolution does not rescind Resolution B033 (General Convention 2006) “to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on the communion.”

It does not suggest that the Episcopal Church will close its moratorium on the consecration of gay bishops.

Resolution DO25 passed in the HOD clergy order by a 2 to 1 margin, in the HOD lay order by a 2 to 1 margin, and in the HOB by a 2 to 1 margin. This demonstrates some consistency among lay and clergy that is important to respect.

Read it all.

Forward in Faith UK profoundly regrets the decision of the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church to repudiate the moratorium on the consecration of bishops in same-sex relationships. It is clear from this decision, and the general stance of The Episcopal Church, that the Instruments of Unity of the Communion no longer have any moral authority in that Church.

We strongly encourage the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates’ Meeting to enter into the fullest co-operation with the Anglican Church in North America and other bodies eager fully to participate in the common life of Anglicanism world-wide.

Geoffrey Kirk
Secretary

The first sign that all was not well arose when Bishop Dean Wolfe of Kansas rose at the start of the C056 debate and cautioned the house against offering aggressive amendments. “Sometimes it takes very little” to “move us from agreement to division,” he observed. He asked the bishops to practice a “generous orthodoxy” to the conservative minority who might be troubled by same-sex blessings.

After twenty five minutes of debate, with only the acting Bishop of the Rio Grande, the Rt. Rev. William Frey, rising to speak in opposition, Bishop Clifton Daniel of East Carolina told the house the lack of input from the conservative side made him uneasy. The “silence is ominous,” he observed, adding “I need your voice to inform my conversation.” Bishop Peter Beckwith of Springfield responded by asking “Why waste time? Why waste my time? Why waste your time?”

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori prologued debate to the afternoon, and the afternoon’s debate was then postponed to Wednesday. Suggestions that delay could be postponed such that the convention would not be able to take up the resolution sparked outrage from Bishop Marc Andrus of California.

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/7/15/news-analysis-pushback-in-hob-on-gay-blessings

So the Anglican Communion has finally split.

Having written countless times that the Church was “teetering on the brink of schism last night”, the American Church has gone over the edge.

No more hanging around, it’s jumped.

When I saw Rowan Williams on Saturday, he said that he was hopeful that they would continue to hold the line agreed by the Communion that practising homosexuals should not be consecrated as bishops.

He had been out to the General Convention, which is being held in Anaheim, California, and had come back reasonably optimistic.

In deciding to ignore the pleas for this policy to be upheld, the Americans have clearly shaken him warmly by the hand before stabbing him in the front.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jonathanwynne-jones/100003401/anglican-schism-means-archbishop-rowan-must-act/

Now, as the Episcopal Church met for its General Convention in Anaheim, California, the American denomination has, in effect, told the Anglican Communion that it will go its own way, whatever the cost. Adding insult to injury, the General Convention also expressed its “abiding commitment” to the worldwide body. Apparently, this commitment does not extend to keeping its promises.

http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=4122

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=603676

The Rev. Ian Douglas, a member of the Anglican Consultative Council, and clergy deputy from Massachusetts, told The Living Church that there had been communications between the highest levels of the Episcopal Church and the Church of England over D025 over the past few days, noting that claims that the Episcopal Church was walking away from the Anglican Communion were untrue, as D025 was not crafted as a repeal of B033.

The Committee on World Missions received 13 resolutions concerning B033: six that “called for a full repeal” of the 2006 resolution, six that called for “a strengthening of the non-discriminations canons” and one resolution that stated “where we are as a church.” Fr. Douglas said D025 was an “invitation to dialogue, not a rebuke of the Anglican Communion’s instruments of communion.”

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/7/14/convention-criticized-for-choosing-to-walk-apart

The passage of Resolution D025 by the General Convention of 2009 is a repudiation of Holy Scripture as the church has received and understood it ecumenically in the East and West. It is also a clear rejection of the mutual responsibility and interdependence to which we are called as Anglicans. That it is also a snub to the Archbishop of Canterbury this week while General Synod is occurring in York only adds insult to injury.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the BBC, the New York Times and Integrity all see what is being done here. There are now some participants in the 76th General Convention who are trying to pretend that a yes to D025 is NOT a no to B033. Jesus’ statement about letting your yes be yes and your no be no is apt here. These types of attempted obfuscations are utterly unconvincing. The Bishop of Arizona rightly noted in his blog that D025 was “a defacto repudiation of” B033.

The presuppositions of Resolution D025 are revealing. For a whole series of recent General Conventions resolutions have been passed which are thought to be descriptive by some, but understood to be prescriptive by others. The 2007 Primates Communique spoke to this tendency when they stated “they deeply regret a lack of clarity”on the part of the 75th General Convention.

What is particularly noteworthy, however, is that Episcopal Church Resolutions and claimed stances said to be descriptive at one time are more and more interpreted to be prescriptive thereafter. Now, in Resolution D025, the descriptive and the prescriptive have merged. You could hear this clearly in the floor debates in the two Houses where speakers insisted “This is who we are!”

Those involved in pastoral care know that when a relationship is deeply frayed when one or other party insists “this is who I am” the outcome will be disastrous. The same will be the case with D025, both inside the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

D025 is the proud assertion of a church of self-authentication and radical autonomy.

It is a particularly ugly sight.

–The Rev. Dr. Kendall S. Harmon is Canon Theologian of the Diocese of South Carolina

The Suffragan Bishop of Maryland, the Rt. Rev. John Rabb offered an amendment that was originally offered as a minority committee report by the Bishop of Alabama, the Rt. Rev. Henry Parsley. The Parsley amendment sought to alter language that offered blanket permission for a “generous pastoral response” to same-sex couples, to one confining it to states that had adopted same-sex marriage or civil union laws.

The Rt. Rev. Otis Charles, retired Bishop of Utah, objected to the amendment, saying it was an “attempt to narrow and limit” pastoral care along state boundaries. The Bishop of San Diego concurred, noting that the amendment would relate pastoral generosity to geography.

Bishop James Adams of Western Kansas asked Bishop Smith of Missouri if pastoral generosity included liturgical blessings. Bishop Smith replied that the committee had considered adding a specific provision for liturgies, but believed it best not to enumerate the forms pastoral generosity might take so that “liturgies could be included” without being named.

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/7/14/bishops-weigh-authorizing-local-same-sex-rites

Deputies defeated a resolution addressing the disclosure of the costs of Episcopal Church property litigation.

The House of Bishops had asked deputies to concur with their recommendation to refer the resolution to the Standing Commission on Stewardship and Development. The resolution had called for revealing the dollar amount the church spent “on litigation against dioceses, parishes, groups of churches and individuals since General Convention 2006” as well as information about where the funds came from, the money budgeted for litigation in the next triennium and “an estimate of the amount of property value retained and expected to be retained” by the church “because of pending and completed litigation as of General Convention 2009.”

“We all need to know about the litigation going on in our church,” said the Rev. Ellen Neufeld (Albany). “I speak very strongly in favor of this resolution so that information can be shared.”

Deputies debated various options, including referring it to the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance or substituting previous wording to direct the Presiding Bishop and Executive Council to release the litigation information.

Thomas Fitzhugh III (Texas) said he was concerned that the resolution could put the Presiding Bishop and Executive Council “in a bad spot” because divulging information about ongoing litigation would reveal strategy to the other side. “Let’s just kill it. This is nothing but an effort by people who try to steal our property” to find out how much the church has spent. “If they didn’t try to walk off with it, we wouldn’t have this motion.”

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_112576_ENG_HTM.htm

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_112575_ENG_HTM.htm

In addition, the 1979 General Convention had adopted A053, a resolution which, in part, affirmed “the traditional teaching of the Church on marriage, marital fidelity, and sexual chastity as the standing of Christian sexual morality . . . Therefore, we believe it not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual, or any person who is engaged in heterosexual relations outside marriage.”

In response to Spong’s 1989 ordination of a practicing homosexual, the Presiding Bishop and his Council of Advice repudiated the action, maintaining that, “short of action by the General Convention, [A053] is the stated and authoritative position of the church at this time.” Read the Righter Presentment and the 1990 statement of Edmund Browning here.

How have we reached this point? In Fundamentals of the Faith, Peter Kreeft noted that “it is more convenient and comfortable to have a foggy faith because in a fog you can never be sure you have lost your way.”
Not to mix metaphors, but, at this point, I’m afraid the Episcopal Church couldn’t find her way out of a paper bag.

http://www.lydiaevans.net/Lydia/Anaheim_2009/Entries/2009/7/14_Where_Do_I_Begin.html

But that wasn’t all. The House of Deputies rejected a resolution affirming Christ in a multi-faith society. Are you really surprised? I’ve reprinted it below:

Resolved, the House of Bishops’ concurring, That this 76th General Convention of this church affirm the conclusion of the Church of England at its February General Synod and direct the House of Bishops’ Committee on Theology to report back to the 77th General Convention on “their understanding of the uniqueness of Christ in the United States multi-faith society, and offer examples and commendations of good practice in sharing the gospel of salvation through Christ alone with people of other faiths and of none.”

EXPLANATION
Indicative of our support and appreciation for the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury at this General Convention and his leadership of the Church of England in Christian witness within the multi-faith culture of the United Kingdom, this resolution affirms that the Episcopal Church is in substantial agreement with the Church of England General Synod which directed its House of Bishops at their February 2009 meeting to report back on “their understanding of the uniqueness of Christ in Britain’s multi-faith society, and offer examples and commendations of good practice in sharing the gospel of salvation through Christ alone with people of other faiths and of none.”

Supporting document “General Synod 2/11/09”³ is posted and available in hard copy in the General Convention Secretariat until the end of the 76th General Convention.

Oh yeah, there was this too ”“ after a week and a half of listening to our Presiding Bishop speak about openness and transparency the House of Deputies defeated a simple resolution asking the National Church Office to both disclose the amount of money spent by their office suing orthodox/conservative parishes over property ownership (literally, tens of MILLIONS of dollars) and the source/account from where the money is drawn. So much for integrity.

http://treadinggrain.com/2009/general-convention-day-9/

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE56E0IO20090715

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106616693

On Tuesday, an elated [Gene] Robinson celebrated the lopsided vote in the church’s two legislative bodies — the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, composed of clergy and laity.

“I’m simply delighted at the possibility that another diocese will recognize the gifts of a gay or lesbian clergy person,” he said. “I long for the day when someone who shares my experience as an openly gay bishop joins me in the House of Bishops. It has been lonely.”

But a bishop who left the church last year predicted that the decisions made in Anaheim would increase strains with disaffected conservatives.

“Clearly the activists have done a good job promoting their agenda,” said the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, a founding bishop of the newly formed Anglican Church in North America, which hopes to gain recognition from the Anglican Communion as a rival province to the Episcopal Church.

“The generosity shown by the rest of the communion has been astonishing and has been thrown back in their face,” Minns said. “There will have to be a renegotiation of how the Episcopal Church fits into the family.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-episcopal15-2009jul15,0,7706842.story

Via text of a deputy on the floor

Lay Order
78 — yes
21 — no
9 — divided

Clergy Order
77 — yes
19 no
11 — divided

From the Lead we learn the following two important tidbits. (The summary below is ours, not theirs).

The amended version of D025 (basically ending moratoria against consecrating additional active homosexual bishops) has passed in the Deputies. So that resolution is now official, we believe, passed by Deputies. Amended by Bishops, Passed by Deputies as amended.

Also they report that C056 (trial rites for SSBs) will continue to be discussed by bishops tomorrow.

–elfgirl

Anglican Mainstream has worked on the issue of unity and truth in the Anglican Communion for six years since June 2003.

We appreciate all the commitment the Archbishop of Canterbury has shown to maintain the unity of the Communion.

Following the vote of The Episcopal Church House of Bishops to overturn the moratorium on consecrating those in same sex relationships as bishops, we would encourage the Archbishop of Canterbury to consult with those primates able to sign the Ridley Covenant Draft together with the Communion Partners in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in North America to address the way forward from here.

Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor

Canon Dr Chris Sugden, Secretary

http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/?p=12941

Vote by orders requested

http://www.standfirminfaith.com/?/sf/page/24184

In the slow-moving train crash of international Anglicanism, a decision taken in California has finally brought a large coach off the rails altogether. The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church (TEC) in the United States has voted decisively to allow in principle the appointment, to all orders of ministry, of persons in active same-sex relationships. This marks a clear break with the rest of the Anglican Communion.

Both the bishops and deputies (lay and clergy) of TEC knew exactly what they were doing. They were telling the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other “instruments of communion” that they were ignoring their plea for a moratorium on consecrating practising homosexuals as bishops. They were rejecting the two things the Archbishop of Canterbury has named as the pathway to the future ”” the Windsor Report (2004) and the proposed Covenant (whose aim is to provide a modus operandi for the Anglican Communion). They were formalising the schism they initiated six years ago when they consecrated as bishop a divorced man in an active same-sex relationship, against the Primates’ unanimous statement that this would “tear the fabric of the Communion at its deepest level”. In Windsor’s language, they have chosen to “walk apart”.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6710640.ece

Commenter Karen B. has done a lot of work organizing a rough list of the roll call tally on D025 in the House of Bishops (the resolution essentially superceding B033 and opening the door for election and consecration of additional active homosexual bishops).

The tally she worked from is at the Lead.

You can see Karen’s various comments in this thread at the main T19 site. Several comments provide details of how yesterday’s vote compares with the 2003 vote on consent for Gene Robinson. Below is her list of all votes in order of diocese.

We also understand that George Conger will be soon publishing a full roll call listing. At some point we will upload and post the roll call spreadsheet which Karen sent to us, though that would be easier to do on the main blog.

–elfgirl
———-

First, here is a list of ALL the votes, in order by diocese. Includes Diocesans, Suffragans, Assisting & Retired Bishops, etc. I’ve included some bishops whose names are on the Lead’s list but who have no vote recorded. Perhaps they were there and voted Present or did not vote at all? Who knows.

With various corrections, the total of Yes & No votes now matches the published total of 146 votes:
99 Yes
45 No
2 Abstain

Note: to help avoid comments such as “why is X diocese not listed?”, this list also includes vacant sees or the names of absent diocesan bishops.

Diocese Vote Name Position Comment
*OTHER YES Epting Bishop for Ecumenical Relations
*OTHER YES Matthews Office of Pastoral Devt
*OTHER BLANK Griswold Retired Retired Pr. Bishop
*OTHER NO Packard Suffragan Armed Services
*OTHER YES ?? Skinner or Lunger ?? No Bishop of either name listed by Louie Crew

Alabama NO Parsley *Diocesan
Alabama YES Sloan Suffragan
Alaska YES Kimsey Assisting (Retired: Eastern Oregon)
Albany NO Love *Diocesan
Arizona YES Smith, Kirk *Diocesan
Arkansas YES Benfield *Diocesan
Atlanta YES Alexander *Diocesan
Atlanta YES Whitmore Assisting
Bethlehem YES Marshall *Diocesan
California YES Andrus *Diocesan
California YES Charleston Assisting
Central Ecuador YES Ramos-Orench *Diocesan
Central Florida NO Howe *Diocesan
Central Gulf Coast NO Duncan, Philip *Diocesan
Central New York YES Adams, Skip *Diocesan
Central Pennsylvania YES Baxter *Diocesan
Chicago YES Lee, Jeffrey *Diocesan
Chicago ABSTAIN Scantlebury Assisting
Chicago YES Percell Retired
Church in Europe YES Jefferts Schori *Diocesan
Church in Europe YES Whalon Bishop in Charge
Church in Europe NO Rowthorne Retired
Colombia NO Duque-Gomez *Diocesan
Colorado YES O’Neill *Diocesan
Connecticut YES Smith, Andrew *Diocesan
Connecticut YES Ahrens Suffragan
Connecticut YES Curry, James Suffragan
Dallas NO Stanton *Diocesan
Dallas NO Lambert Suffragan
Delaware YES Wright *Diocesan
Dominican Republic NO Holguin-Khoury *Diocesan
East Carolina YES Daniel *Diocesan
East Tennessee YES VonRosenburg *Diocesan
Eastern Michigan YES Ousley *Diocesan
Eastern Oregon VACANT Vacant See
Easton NO Shand *Diocesan
Eau Clair VACANT Vacant See
El Camino Real YES Gray-Reeves *Diocesan
Florida NO Howard *Diocesan
Florida YES Keyser Assisting
Fond du Lac NO Jacobus *Diocesan
Fort Worth (YES) Gulick Provisional Bishop (See Kentucky, I am only counting one vote for Gulick)
Georgia NO Louttit *Diocesan
Haiti NO Duracin *Diocesan
Hawaii YES Fitzpatrick *Diocesan
Hawaii YES Chang Retired
Honduras NO Allen, Lloyd *Diocesan
Idaho YES Thom *Diocesan
Indianapolis YES Waynick *Diocesan
Iowa YES Scarfe *Diocesan
Kansas YES Wolfe, Dean *Diocesan
Kentucky YES Gulick *Diocesan
Kentucky YES Reed, David Retired (There are two Reeds”¦ this should be verified)
Lexington YES Sauls *Diocesan
Litoral Ecuador NO Morante *Diocesan
Long Island YES Walker *Diocesan
Long Island YES ???? Assisting
Los Angeles YES Bruno *Diocesan
Los Angeles YES Carranza Assisting
Los Angeles YES Borsch Retired
Los Angeles YES Talton Suffragan
Louisiana NO Jenkins *Diocesan
Maine YES Lane *Diocesan
Maine YES Knudson Retired
Maryland YES Sutton *Diocesan
Maryland NO Rabb Suffragan
Massachusetts YES Shaw *Diocesan
Massachusetts YES Harris, Barbara Retired
Massachusetts YES Cedarholm Suffragan
Massachusetts YES Harris, Gayle Suffragan
Michigan YES Gibbs *Diocesan
Milwaukee NO Miller *Diocesan
Minnesota YES Jelinek *Diocesan
Mississippi NO Gray, Duncan *Diocesan
Missouri YES Smith, George Wayne *Diocesan
Montana YES Brookhart *Diocesan
Navajoland BLANK ? MacDonald Assisting
Nebraska YES Burnett *Diocesan
Nevada YES Edwards *Diocesan
New Hampshire YES Robinson *Diocesan
New Jersey YES Councell *Diocesan
New Jersey YES Romero-Palma Assisting
New York YES Sisk *Diocesan
New York YES Donovan Assisting (Retired: Arkansas)
New York YES Roskam Suffragan
Newark YES Beckwith, Mark *Diocesan
North Carolina YES Curry, Michael *Diocesan
North Carolina YES Gregg, William Assisting
North Carolina YES ? Marble Assisting (Retired: Mississippi)
North Carolina YES Williams, H Retired Suffragan
North Dakota NO Smith, Michael *Diocesan
Northern California YES Beisner *Diocesan
Northern Indiana NO Little *Diocesan
Northern Michigan VACANT Vacant See
Northwest Texas NO Mayer *Diocesan
Northwest Texas BLANK ? Ohl Retired Name unclear, verify
Northwestern Pennsylvania NO Rowe *Diocesan
Ohio YES Hollingsworth *Diocesan
Ohio YES Williams, A Assisting
Oklahoma NO Konieczny *Diocesan
Oklahoma NO ? McAllister Retired Name unclear – verify
Olympia YES Rickel *Diocesan
Olympia YES Rivera Suffragan Per comment at the Lead
Oregon YES Hampton Assisting
Oregon YES Ladehoff Retired
Pennsylvania YES Michel Assisting
Pennsylvania BLANK Franklin Retired Suffragan
Pittsburgh YES Johnson, Robert H Assisting There are two Johnsons, I’m guessing it’s Pittsburgh acting
Puerto Rico YES Alvarez-Velazquez *Diocesan
Quincy YES Buchanan Provisional Bishop
Rhode Island NO Wolf, Geralyn *Diocesan
Rio Grande NO Frey, William Acting
Rochester YES Singh *Diocesan
San Diego YES Mathes *Diocesan
San Joaquin YES Lamb Provisional Bishop
South Carolina NO Lawrence *Diocesan
South Carolina NO Salmon Retired
South Dakota ABSENT Robertson *Diocesan Absent from Gen Con due to injury
Southeast Florida YES Frade *Diocesan
Southern Ohio YES Briedenthal *Diocesan
Southern Ohio YES Price Suffragan
Southern Virginia YES Hollerith *Diocesan
Southwest Florida NO Smith, Dabney *Diocesan
Southwestern Virginia YES Powell *Diocesan
Spokane BLANK Waggoner *Diocesan
Springfield NO Beckwith, Peter *Diocesan
Taiwan NO Jung-Hsin Lai *Diocesan
Tennessee NO Bauerschmidt *Diocesan
Texas NO Doyle *Diocesan
Texas BLANK Payne Retired
Texas BLANK Wimberly Retired
Texas NO High Suffragan
Texas NO Harrison Suffragan
Upper South Carolina YES Henderson *Diocesan
Utah YES Tanner-Irish *Diocesan
Utah YES Charles, Otis Retired
Venezuela ABSENT? Guerrero *Diocesan
Vermont YES Ely *Diocesan
Virgin Islands NO Gumbs *Diocesan
Virginia YES Lee, Peter *Diocesan
Virginia NO Johnston, Shannon CoAdjutor
Virginia BLANK Gray, Francis Retired Assisting (Retired: Northern Indiana)
Virginia YES Jones, David Suffragan
Washington YES Chane *Diocesan
West Tennessee YES Johnson, Don *Diocesan
West Texas NO Lillibridge *Diocesan
West Texas NO Reed, David Suffragan
West Virginia NO Klusmeyer *Diocesan
Western Kansas NO Adams, James *Diocesan
Western Louisiana NO McPherson *Diocesan
Western Massachusetts ABSTAIN Scruton *Diocesan
Western Michigan ABSENT? Gepert *Diocesan
Western Missouri YES Howe, Barry *Diocesan
Western New York YES Garrison *Diocesan
Western North Carolina YES Taylor *Diocesan
Wyoming YES Caldwell *Diocesan

YES 99
NO 45
ABSTAIN 2
TOTAL VOTES 146

Listed but no vote shown 8

[i]as posted at the backup blog, July 14th[/i]

While we’re using this backup site, I thought a few handy links to other General Convention bloggers and resources would be helpful to have at this site.
— elfgirl

Stand Firm Backup site: http://standfirmlive.blogspot.com/
Baby Blue: http://babybluecafe.blogspot.com/
The Lead (Episcopal Cafe): http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/
The Living Church: http://www.livingchurch.org/
George Conger: http://geoconger.wordpress.com/

AAC General Convention News

TEC General Convention Media Hub
Legislative Resolutions Table

South Carolina bloggers:
John Burwell
Lydia Evans
Steve Wood

Resolution DO25 was passed by the House of Deputies on Monday and moved to the House of Bishops Monday afternoon.

The resolution, despite the headlines of a number of news organizations, was descriptive and offers a vision of where the Episcopal Church is at this time. It speaks to the fact that we are not of one mind on the issues of sexuality, that there is disagreement within the church on issues of ordination, marriage/unions. I think it reflects the reality that there are differences of opinion on how to deal with our differences.

I do not believe the house intended the passage of the resolution to be prescriptive. In other words the resolution did not pass same sex blessings, or ordinations of partnered gay and lesbians. It was not a permission giving resolution or a canonical change to our understanding of marriage.

Interestingly enough, DO25 passed in the HOD clergy order by a 2 to 1 margin, in the HOD lay order by a 2 to 1 margin, and in the HOB by a 2 to 1 margin. I do believe this shows some consistency within this body at this time.

The Diocese of Texas Deputation was divided in their vote and so their vote was registered as a “no” vote. This diversity, appointed by the people of the Diocese at Council, reflects who we are as a diocese. I thought our deputies did their discernment well. We shared together over lunch their thoughts and concerns about the church at home. They too felt as though the resolution was descriptive and not prescriptive.

Bishop High, Bishop Harrison and I each voted against the resolution as we have been and continue to be concerned regarding the repercussions throughout the Anglican Communion. And we were concerned with the idea that DO25 repeals BO33 from the 2006 General Convention. I should add most every one of the Episcopal Church’s dioceses in a foreign country voted against the passage as well. Also, bishops of Dallas, Northwest Texas, Rio Grande and West Texas voted no.

http://edotnews.blogspot.com/2009/07/bishop-doyle-on-passage-of-d025-monday.html

[i]as posted at the backup blog, July 14[/i]

http://standfirmlive.blogspot.com/2009/07/live-from-floor-of-house-of-deputies.html

as posted at the backup blog, July 14th

A key committee voted overwhelmingly Monday to start putting together blessings to be used in same-sex marriages, the church’s official newspaper reported.

Separately, the House of Bishops voted by a wide margin to allow gays and lesbians to become bishops, Episcopal Life reported.

Both measures must be approved by the church’s General Convention before taking effect, but expert Mark Silk said there is “little reason” to think the changes will not “sail through.”

“They basically decided to move forward on all fronts with regularizing the status of gays and lesbians within the church,” said Silk, director of the Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life at Trinity College in Connecticut.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/14/episcopal.gays/

(as posted at the backup blog, July 14th)

The House of Deputies made up legislative time in the late afternoon session on July 13, dispensing with 20 different resolutions during a two-hour session.
The speed that business was conducted was in contrast to an early afternoon session in which problems with the electronic voting machines and extended debate over consent to the election of the Rev. Luis Fernando Ruiz Restrepo as Bishop of Central Ecuador put the house legislative calendar behind schedule.
A number of the resolutions appeared on the consent calendar, meaning that as long as deputies did not request debate on any of the items on the consent calendar list, they were considered as approved.

The house also dealt with several issues requiring more extended debate during this session and even if some of the legislation was approved as part of the consent calendar, it is likely to have an impact on dioceses and parishes.

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/7/14/deputies-debate-transgender-canonical-change

(copied from the backup blog, July 14th)

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/07/episcopal-church-at-anaheim-convention-moves-to-end-gay-bishops-ban.html

(posted from the backup blog, July 14th – elves)

A compilation of a number of short blog entries posted at the backup blog on July 14th — elves

There is something of an “open thread” today at the main blog since the comments are working, but Kendall can not post to the blog due to the server problems at Stand Firm.

http://new.kendallharmon.net/wp-content/uploads/index.php/t19/article/24167/

Below we have posted various new links, etc. which Kendall posted earlier today in that comment thread which would have been entries on the main blog if that had been possible.
Kendall: Comment #1: Commentary from the UK on yesterday’s votes
15. Kendall Harmon wrote:

I cant post because of horrid server problems

From overnight this is significant

The Anglican church in the United States is now facing calls for its representatives to be kicked off the bodies which run the Anglican Communion.

Bishop of Sherborne Dr Graham Kings said: “The Episcopal Church has clearly signalled, against the specific plea of the Archbishop of Canterbury on this very issue, its choice of autonomy over interdependence in the Anglican Communion. Questions will now have to be asked about the full continued participation of Episcopal Church representatives in Anglican Communion meetings.”
Dr Kings’s comments are particularly significant because, as a founder of the open or moderate evangelical forum Fulcrum, he has been one of the strongest advocates the the Church for maintaining bonds between evangelicals and liberals.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6707029.ece

—————

Kendall Comment #2: NY Times story on HOB vote re: D025
18. Kendall Harmon wrote:

here is the NY Times article which has very good content

Episcopal Church Moves to End Ban on Gay Bishops

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/us/15episcopal.html?_r=1&hpw;

————–

Kendall: Comment #3: Steve Wood Comments on GenCon July 13th
35. Kendall Harmon wrote:

Steve Wood:

You have no idea what it is like to watch God’s judgement being poured out upon a people. It is horrific to watch a church exchange the truth of God for a lie. It is frightening to watch God hand this church over to debased minds and dishonorable passions. While I am relieved that this body is finally being honest about what they believe and where they are (to their credit) I find no joy or relief only a profound sadness. I’m ready for this Convention to be over.

At the end of a very long day Bishop Lawrence met with the deputation from South Carolina. He reiterated that this was his anticipated outcome; he reminded us that General Convention is not over and he wants to see the full landscape before offering any commentary. A clergy day has been called for Thursday, 13 August to address the events of this General Convention.

http://treadinggrain.com/2009/general-convention-day-8/

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Kendall Comment #4: Fulcrum Press statement on D025
37. Kendall Harmon wrote:

Fulcrum Press Statement
on the decision by the House of Bishops of TEC to pass D025

http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/page.cfm?ID=442

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Kendall Comment #5: Bishop of Willesden comment at Fulcrum
44. Kendall Harmon wrote:

This is a very interesting comment from the Bishop of Willesden:

There’s no particular point in saying “we told you so”… but it does make the Windsor process look pretty unfit for purpose, as many of us suspected. I know it’s going to play out from now on like a slow motion car crash, but I rather hope that we can be a bit more nimble footed from now on in our attempts to rescue the rest of the Anglican Communion. The “let’s all wait and see what happens” approach to church brinkmanship has probably had its day. A bit like old style ecumenism, really!

http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/forum/thread.cfm?thread=12019

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Kendall Comments #6 and #7: ENS and the Guardian stories on D025
47. Kendall Harmon wrote:

ENS on the d025 vote and discussion in bishops
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_112523_ENG_HTM.htm

48. Kendall Harmon wrote:

Savitri Hensman in the Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/jul/14/episcopal-bishops-anglican-gay

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Kendall Comment #8: Bishop of Arizona comments on D025
49. Kendall Harmon wrote:

The Bishop of Arizona
http://arizonabishop.blogspot.com/2009/07/no-pictures-but-breaking-news.html

This afternoon we had our first controversial action. Deputies passed resolution DO 25 which essentially reaffirmed that the ordination process (including that of bishop) was open to all people. This was a movement away from the “restraint” of last convention’s famous B033. Although BO33 was not exactly overturned (it will take an election of an openly gay person to make that happen, which frankly is not likely to happen anytime soon), this resolution was a defacto repudiation of that stance. When it came time for House of Bishop’s to act, we concurred with the House of Deputies 99 to 45.

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Kendall Comment #9: Richard Helmer on D025 (from the Lead)
50. Kendall Harmon wrote:

Richard Helmer:

But the centrality of this thread today was revealed to me by a piece of paper that made its way to our deputation table shortly before we recessed for the evening. On it was the message that the House of Bishops, by over a 2-to-1 margin, had concurred on resolution D025 with minimal amendment. Many of us were, quite honestly, astonished. We had expected some consternation from the HoB, at least an effort to make major amendments to D025, or perhaps a straight no vote on the resolution to show the Anglican Communion how many of our bishops were willing to hold the line, even over and against their larger, senior House.

Much to our surprise, we had arrived at one of those rare moments that both Houses had agreed on one of the most controversial questions before them, and B033 was now left soundly behind, a fading anomaly in the march towards the fullness of God’s grace for all the baptized; a temporary lapse in the greater arc of just truth about ourselves and God’s call to us.
The House of Bishops appears to have grown tired (as have we all) of attempting to appease others in the Communion, of trying to prevent schism when those departing have already insured it’s a foregone conclusion, of trying to purchase tickets to Lambeth and the other Instruments of Unity with talk of compliance, if not conformity. The elephant of the Windsor Report occupying the living rooms of both Houses now seems largely deflated, the false rumors and half-truths now gone, the hot air that made the elephant so big now replaced with the transformative and truthful breath of the Spirit.

http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/general_convention_2009_live/eyes_on_the_floor_an_epochal_b.html

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Kendall Comment #10: ACI STATEMENT
56. Kendall Harmon wrote:

ACI Statement on the Repudiation of B033

We deeply regret yesterday’s decision by the House of Bishops to repudiate the Anglican Communion’s moratorium on the consecration of bishops living in homosexual relationships. As recently as May of this year, the Anglican Consultative Council officially affirmed the “implementation” in the Communion of the moratoria called for by the Windsor Report, including the moratorium rejected yesterday by the House of Bishops. With the adoption of these moratoria by the Anglican Consultative Council all of the Communion’s Instruments have now recognized their implementation as crucial to our common life in the Anglican Communion.

It is noteworthy that Section 3.1.4 of the final text of the Anglican Communion Covenant, which was contained in the section approved overwhelmingly by the Anglican Consultative Council and no longer subject to revision, gives each of the Communion Instruments the authority to “initiate and commend a process of discernment and a direction for the Communion and its Churches.” Speaking at the close of the Council’s meeting, the Archbishop of Canterbury anticipated yesterday’s action and spoke directly to The Episcopal Church on its place in the Anglican Covenant when he said “Action to negate that resolution [the moratorium] would instantly suggest to many people in the communion that The Episcopal Church would prefer not to go down the route of closer structural bonds and that particular kind of mutual responsibility.”

The Episcopal Church is already out of communion with the majority of the world’s Anglicans. It is our expectation that many dioceses will not follow The Episcopal Church out of the Anglican Communion and the mainstream of apostolic Christianity. Instead, they will take immediate action to assure the Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury of their continued commitment both to observe the Communion’s moratoria and to preserve and restore their structural bonds to the Communion.

To this end, we will continue to work closely with these dioceses and the Communion processes to finalize and strengthen one section of the Anglican Covenant not fully approved in Jamaica. The continued flouting of Communion Instruments by The Episcopal Church demonstrates the compelling need for Section 4 of the Covenant and indeed for the strengthening of that section. Communion Partner Bishops and Rectors, and their concerned allies, wish to remain in the Communion and abide by its requests.

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Kendall comment #11: Keep your eye on C056
59. Kendall Harmon wrote:

Keep your eye on C056

Resolved, the House of _______ concurring, That the 76th General Convention charge the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music with development of liturgies of blessing for same-gender commitments to be presented to the next triennial General Convention in 2012 for inclusion in “Book of Occasional Services”; and. be it further

Resolved, That in the meantime the Ecclesiastical Authority of each diocese may authorize for use in the diocese liturgies for blessing same-gender committed relationships of enduring love, mutuality, and fidelity; and be it further

Resolved, That, with respect to such blessings, no bishop or clergy of this Church or any other person acting on behalf of this Church shall be required or expected to perform an act contrary to a deeply-held position of conscience.

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, that the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops Theology Committee, collect and develop theological resources and liturgies of blessing for same-gender holy unions, to be presented to the 77th General Convention for formal consideration, and be it further

Resolved, that the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops Theology Committee, devise an open process for the conduct of its work in this matter, inviting participation from dioceses, congregations, and individuals who are or have already engaged in the study or design of such rites throughout the Anglican Communion, and be it further

Resolved, that all bishops, noting particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church; and be it further

Resolved, that honoring the theological diversity of this Church, no bishop or other member of the clergy shall be compelled to authorize or officiate at such liturgies, and be it further

Resolved, that the Anglican Consultative Council be invited to conversation regarding this resolution and the work that proceeds from it, together with other churches in the Anglican Communion engaged in similar processes.

Minority report from Bishop Henry N. Parsley:

I offer the minority opinion that in the 3rd resolve the substitute should read, “Resolved, that in dioeses within civil jurisdictions where same gender marriage or civil unions are legal, the bishop may provide a generous pastoral response to meet the needs of the members of this church.”

Explanation:

This language focuses on the six states where same gender marriage or civil unions are legal which I believe to be our correct focus at this time.

+ Henry Parsley

http://gc2009.org/ViewLegislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=898&type=Current

61. Kendall Harmon wrote:

You need to click the link on the previous comment because the cross out text on the resolution isn’t crossed out in #59

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Kendall Comment #12: Living Church News Analysis
62. Kendall Harmon wrote:

News Analysis: Passage of D025 May Place TEC Outside Communion

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/7/14/news-analysis-passage-of-d025-may-place-tec-outside-communion

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Kendall Comment #13: C056 liveblog link
63. Kendall Harmon wrote:

C056 has hit bishops matt is liveblogging

http://standfirmlive.blogspot.com/2009/07/breaking-c056-live-blog-by-matt-kennedy.html

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Kendall Comment #14: More on C056
65. Kendall Harmon wrote:

More on HOB and C056

http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/general_convention_2009_live/bishops_debating_c053_on_sames.html

Fulcrum Press Statement

The decision, by a 2-to-1 majority, of the House of Bishops of TEC to pass D025 represents a further determined walking apart by the American Church and must have significant consequences for the relationship of TEC to the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.

Their decision to support, with a minor amendment, the resolution previously passed by the House of Deputies:

Ignored the repeated requests by all the Instruments of Communion, most recently the Anglican Consultative Council, to uphold the Windsor moratoria
Disregarded the explicit request of the Archbishop of Canterbury during his visit to General Convention when he stated “Along with many in the Communion, I hope and pray that there won’t be decisions in the coming days that will push us further apart”.
Failed to heed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s warning at General Synod that “it remains to be seen I think whether the vote of the House of Deputies will be endorsed by the House of Bishops. If the House of Bishops chooses to block then the moratorium remains. I regret the fact that there is not the will to observe the moratorium in such a significant part of the Church in North America but I can’t say more about that as I have no details”.
Overturned the recommendation of the bishops serving on the World Mission committee who asked the House not to support the resolution, explicitly citing such reasons as that passing the resolution amounted to a rejection of the process commended by Windsor and jeopardizes the covenant, would not reflect hearing the concerns of the Communion and disregards Lambeth I.10
Withdrew the assurances given by the House of Bishops to the wider Communion in September 2007 in response to the Dar Primates’ Meeting.1
It is important to recognise the multiple levels at which the resolution disregards the mind of the Communion both in relation to human sexuality and the nature of life together in Communion as expressed in the Windsor Report and the Anglican Covenant. It:

selectively quotes from Lambeth I.10 and affirms only the Listening Process but not the teaching and practice of the Communion consistently reaffirmed by the Instruments since 1998 which is the framework within which the Listening Process should occur.
contradicts the teaching of Scripture and the Communion by reaffirming that same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect and careful, honest communication display “holy love”.
recognizes 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” despite the clear statement of Lambeth I.10 rejecting ordination of those in same-sex unions.
reaffirms they were right to consent to the election of Gene Robinson and proceed to his consecration by affirming “that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church” despite Windsor’s request for a statement of regret for that action.
asserts their right autonomously to determine the suitability of candidates for ordination “through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church” without reference to the discernment of the wider church or the requested moratorium.

In relation to the Anglican Communion and the Windsor and Covenant Processes, the Windsor Continuation Group stated that “A deliberate decision to act in a way which damages Communion of necessity carries consequences. This is quite distinct from the language of sanction or punishment, but acknowledges that the expression and experience of our Communion in Christ cannot be sustained so fully in such circumstances. A formal expression of the distance experienced would therefore seem to be appropriate” (Para 45). General Convention’s actions clearly reject the Windsor Process and are incompatible with the affirmations and commitments agreed by ACC in the proposed covenant. A formal expression of distance, with consequent limiting of involvement in Communion counsels, must now follow if the Windsor and covenant processes are to retain credibility in the wider Communion.

In relation to the Church of England, it has recently been reaffirmed, with regard to the Church of Sweden, that “the teaching and discipline of the Church of England, like that of the Anglican Communion as a whole as expressed in the Lambeth Conference of 1998, is that it is not right either to bless same-sex sexual relationships or to ordain those who are involved in them” and that “changes in the understanding of human sexuality and marriage” will lead to impairment of relationships and limit the inter-changeability of ordained ministry.2 These consequences must now logically follow in relation to those bishops within TEC who have voted to support D025. They could be expressed by such means as actions under the Overseas Clergy Measure and a decision that the Church of England not be represented at future TEC consecrations.

Over coming weeks, in discerning a proportionate response to this latest development it is important that

a clear differentiation is made between the majority in TEC who voted for the resolution and those ”“ centred on the Communion Partners ”“ who upheld the mind of the Communion within TEC. We hope that many Church of England bishops will clearly reaffirm their continued full communion with those TEC bishops who voted against the resolution.
similar disregard for the moratoria in a significant number of dioceses in the Anglican Church of Canada are not ignored
critical attention also be given to the relationship of both the Communion and the Church of England with the Anglican Church in North America.
As that discernment occurs and General Convention continues to meet and discuss other resolutions that would represent a further tearing of the fabric of the Communion we pray the words of this week’s collect

Almighty and everlasting God,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth
to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

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1Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention

The House of Bishops concurs with Resolution EC011 of the Executive Council. This Resolution commends the Report of the Communion Sub-Group of the Joint Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates of the Anglican Communion as an accurate evaluation of Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention, calling upon bishops with jurisdiction and Standing Committees “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 communion.”[1] The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom B033 pertains.

2Letter from Bishops of Chichester and Guildford to the Archbishop of Uppsala