I want to reinforce my premise before I go any further.

So the question I am asking is this: if General Convention 2009 is a school, what is its null curriculum–KSH?

In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Book Silver Blaze we read this wonderful encounter:

I bring this up because I think the most important stories of General Convention are not what is being proposed, nor what is being opposed, but what is entirely missing–KSH.

The house will begin debate of Resolution D025 on Sunday afternoon. The resolution by the Committee on World Mission is a compilation of more than a dozen resolutions seeking to overturn, amend or repeal Resolution B033, the controversial resolution approved three years ago which calls on “standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction 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.”

Read it all.

Read it all (2 page pdf).

Today’s Center Aisle Editorial “Room for Optimism” is about Resolution D025:

The work on this resolution is not done. Bishops on World Mission voted 3-2 against the proposal, while deputies on the panel approved it 24-2. Though D025 doesn’t explicitly repeal B033, the compromise resolution from 2006, it does raise legitimate concerns by affirming that “God has called and may call” gay and lesbian persons “to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church.” That language could be interpreted as a unilateral lifting of the moratorium on gay bishops.

Still, it’s encouraging to see how effectively World Mission has drawn on language of reconciliation from past Conventions and how deftly it has integrated our Church’s “abiding commitment” to the Anglican Communion with a reaffirmation of our inclusiveness as a community of faith.

It’s a reminder of how precise wording can be far more than lawyerly nitpicking; it can be a catalyst to building bonds of trust. Recall past statements by Anglican bodies for “gracious restraint” and “bonds of affection.”

Check it out (16 page pdf).

The best thing that could happen to the proposed covenant for the Anglican Communion at this General Convention is nothing at all.

Though there undoubtedly will be strongly worded resolutions proposed from several quarters, the committee or committees handling these resolutions would do well to promote one that expresses the ongoing commitment of the Episcopal Church to the Anglican Communion in general and to the Windsor/covenant process in particular””and nothing more.

That’s because the present draft of the proposed covenant is not yet in its final form. There has not been sufficient opportunity to study it carefully. The time is not yet ripe for General Convention to engage in extensive debate and formal consideration of this proposal.

Read it all.

Best Line of the day – Overheard at lunch:
I’m so tired of being invited to tell my story. Let’s tell God’s story – the story of redemption in Jesus Christ!

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(ENS) Following a public hearing and several late-evening and early-morning sessions, a WMC subgroup offered an amended version July 11 for committee review and approval. After cordial discussion and revision, “perfecting the resolution and passed it handily” the vote split between the two houses — with deputies voting 24-2 for approval and bishops rejecting it 3-2 — appeared to come as a surprise.

Afterwards, Douglas said: “I am very moved by the way the deputies on the world mission legislative committee were able to trust the process, including the Committee of the Whole sessions and the legislative hearing and then, based upon what we heard and experienced in these sessions, were able to come together in an effective, positive, forward-looking manner and I believe that the work of this committee was both faithful to and led by the Holy Spirit.”

Despite the split vote, the measure will move to the House of Deputies since the committee on dispatch decided it is the house of initial action “and we’re recommending it be adopted,” Douglas said.

When asked why the measure failed with bishops, he replied: “You’d have to ask the bishops that. For some reason or another, while participating in the process when it came time for the vote, three of them couldn’t support the final product.”

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The 76th Episcopal General Convention is underway in California, where clergy will deliberate whether to bless same-sex marriages, and if an informal ban on gay bishops can be dropped. Ed Little, the Episcopalian Bishop of Northern Indiana, and the Rev. Susan Russell of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, Calif., debate gays in service to the Episcopal church.

Listen to it all.

Dr. Te Paa served on the Windsor Commission. I started trying to type what she was saying, but I had to stop and simply listen. Her word were incredible and moving. (After we adjourned I ran to the Media Center to see if they had the text of her speech, but it was hand written. Someone is typing it. When the text is posted, I’ll send the part of it that was so captivating.)

She said that as she worked on the Windsor Commission, “We were never fully apprised of your policy.” She said that they didn’t understand the policy of shared leadership that is so core to the Episcopal Church’s decision making. She regrets the vilification of the Episcopal Church, especially its leadership, within the Windsor process. She thanked us for “Your generosity of spirit, despite what you have suffered through these years.” “I am a little surprised and saddened that too many Episcopalians are being affected by their sense of loss of face or vulnerability in belonging to the Anglican Communion,” she said. “I am dismayed at the extent to which that seems to be prevalent.”

As the others nodded in agreement, Te Paa said, “I don’t believe that that is so ”¦ it is not how I perceive the rest of the communion regarding the Episcopal Church to be honest.” This is another perspective of the Anglican Global South she said of the group on the platform.

Read it all.

And I will be tempted to quit the Episcopal Church once and for all ”¦ as I did during my “sabbatical from TEC” in July 2006, after B033. If the bishops of TEC choose schismatic bullies like Akinola over me, then I will have to look elsewhere. I do not want to be “tolerated” or “accepted on sufferance.” I recognize what I experienced back in 2006: that no other church has the theology and liturgy that drew me to TEC. I tried them all: Romans, UCC, Disciples, ELCA. In this part of the world, they are all spooky-conservative and/or liturgically impoverished. Having made those explorations in 2006, I know I won’t find another church home in this place. I’ll just join the increasing number of Americans who worship at St. Arbucks on Sundays.

I love this church. The Episcopal Church has challenged me again and again to wrestle with my baptismal covenant and forces me ”“ Sunday after Sunday ”“ to consider whether I am living the holiness of life personally and in community. If I have to leave this church, it will be as painful as the most painful divorce.

Read it all.

Dr Rowan Williams flew to America last week ahead of moves by church leaders in the US to introduce rites for same-sex unions and to promote more gay bishops.

Conservatives in the Church of England are threatening to divide worldwide Anglicanism if the liberal Americans force through radical reforms at a crucial meeting in California this week.

Dozens of members of the General Synod have backed a motion that calls on the Church to recognise a breakaway movement in the US opposed to the pro-gay agenda.

Read it all.

Today we heard Ray Suarez, Correspondent of the Lehrer Report News Hour preach at the daily Eucharist. He spoke of our being a welcoming church, made references to his and his family’s involvement in mission trips to the Lakota Reservation and Honduras and so many of the things we as the Episcopal Church have to offer.

I have been serving on the World Mission Committee. This has been particularly time-consuming. We have been dealing with this convention’s response to B033 (the moratorium on consenting to bishop elections whose lifestyle would cause a problem in the larger Communion) and the Covenant, among other issues. On most days my day starts with committee hearings at 7am and ends with the close of committee hearings at 10pm

Read it all.

General Convention’s Committee on World Mission spent nearly 90 minutes Saturday morning revising a resolution that, while using polite language about preserving the unity of the Anglican Communion, ultimately repeals Resolution B033.

The amended form of Resolution D025 says the 76th General Convention acknowledges that God may call gays and lesbians, “like any other baptized members, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church.”

Read it all.

Read it all and read it very carefully noting the changes.

Right now, I confess that I am in the Great Bewilderment to see how our Church can take all the resolutions about human sexuality and find the great Convergence. The resolutions around B033 and same sex blessings go everywhere. However, I am hope filled because in the past I have seen deputies and bishops in General Convention let go of their political stances to win a point or a cause and collectively be moved to discern God’s will. In the middle of bewilderment it’s hard to believe it happens, but I know it does. Scripture and tradition and our own history tell us so.

Read it all.

In addition to reports from representatives of Episcopal Relief and Development and Forward Day by Day, the House of Bishops received with great respect and enthusiasm two of the Episcopal Church’s previous presiding bishops, Edmond Browning and Frank Grisw…[o]ld. Bishop Browning was elected presiding bishop in 1985, and made the comment to us that he noticed that 24 years later, we are still debating many of the same issues that he dealt with when he led the House of Bishops.

Read the whole thing.

Most deputies shared stories of the effect of that resolution on their friends and parishes. LGBT people experienced it as the door swinging shut once again and clergy had difficulty explaining how the Episcopal Church could really Welcome You if LGBT people are only welcome so far. One deputy quoted from Acts 10 – the reading we’ll hear at tonight’s Integrity Eucharist – where Peter says that we should not call anyone profane or unclean. That, he claimed, was the actual effect of B033.

Read it all.

They are proposing to drop just the three little words “Communion of this . . .”, and to replace them with just one word: “Episcopal”. To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, “That’s one small step for a church, but one giant leap away from the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”

With that single change, buried in the midst of thousands and thousands of words revising Title IV, the leadership of ECUSA will accomplish the goal toward which it has been striving ever since 1976: a complete and final divorce of its polity and orders from the rest of the Anglican Communion, and in consequence from the Church Catholic as well.

No longer will it be possible, after these changes are voted (and they will be, without any doubt: how could they go back on the strategy at this point?), for Episcopal clergy to avoid a charge of “abandonment” when they seek to transfer to another church within the Anglican Communion. No longer will anyone refer to these Canons as the “Abandonment of Communion” Canons; they become the “Abandonment of ECUSA” Canons. The Communion, as such, is through, as far as ECUSA is concerned. Finito. Not “Ite – missa est”, but Ite – finis est.

Read it very carefully and follow all the links also.

Read it all.

“All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1.3,4, New Living Translation)

I have been asked, and often wonder myself, “Why do you bother going to General Convention?” When committee testimony in favor of the blessing of same sex relationships or repealing B033 is five to one, the task of opposition seems futile and discouraging. After a full day of testimony on these matters, I confess I was discouraged and not looking forward to the ‘beat down’ the conservative opposition would likely experience when resolutions from the legislative committees are finally considered in the House of Deputies or Bishops.

Then came Friday morning.
Friday morning brought other deputies to our table, thanking us for speaking on their behalf at the committee hearings because they had other commitments.

Friday morning brought emails from other conservative deputies serving on the legislative committees before whom we had testified, thanking us for giving them a voice.

Friday morning brought emails from the Cathedral, Central Florida and around the country encouraging us to continue to bear witness to a classic understanding of the Christian faith.

Friday morning brought a gift from God, helping me understand why I am here. I am here to encourage other deputies, Classic Christians around the country and myself by simply bearing witness to a classic understanding of the Christian. As you have encouraged me, I hope that I have encouraged you.

We still have several days of legislative committee hearings, tedious legislative sessions in the House of Deputies, and discussion on pointless resolutions. We will continue our witness to the classic Christian faith in order to encourage you and other deputies. Please continue to encourage us – the grind of making sausage takes it toll – so that we may continue our encouragement in the Lord.

Watch this also.

Watch it all.

The Prayer Book / Liturgy group has before it various proposals for blessing same-sex relationships. This is important and controversial, but will also be well-attended by other members of Maine’s Deputation. So I trot off to a workshop of the Ecumenical Relations panel.

This group has been making its way through a forbiddingly titled “Theological Statement on Interreligious Relations.“ Today the topic is the delicate one of salvation: How we talk to others, especially to non-Christians, about what is, for us, Christ’s role in salvation, without bringing the discussion to a screeching halt? It was impressive to watch these learned and gracious theologians, both lay and clerical, tackle this head-on at 7:45 a.m. in the morning.

Could you even say ”soteriological exclusivity” (this is what they were trying to avoid) before your second cup of coffee?

Read it all.

[Barbara] Harris referred briefly to a reading from Acts about St. Peter hearing God’s call to welcome Gentiles into the church. Otherwise, her sermon was a collection of barbs””most aimed at conservatives, but with a few challenging her fellow progressives.
”” “Unfortunately, many people who need to be reminded of these truths are not here,” she said, referring to the lesson from Acts.
”” “Some glibly speak of our diversity. ”¦ I am reminded that there was diversity at the Tower of Babel.”
”” Resolution B033 was “not just a grudging response to the Windsor Report, but a ticket ”¦ to attend the Lambeth Conference and to make false peace.”
”” The Archbishop of Canterbury’s message to General Convention, as condensed by Bishop Harris: “Don’t make another unilateral move on the Communion chess board.”
”” “If you don’t want GLBT folks as bishops, don’t ordain them as transitional deacons.”
”” “Better yet, don’t baptize them in the first place.”
”” “Don’t initiate someone and then act like they’re half-ass baptized.”

Read it all.

I now will take comments on this submitted by email only to at KSHarmon[at]mindspring[dot]com

The subcommittee looking at the 7 resolutions for SSB and committee tried to choose one that might be a good moot resolution and tried to hear voices from across the spectrum–you will see a rudimentary proposal that collects various resolves and uses the title for C056 and liturgies for blessings.

Jack: What we did was starting with C056 is take the second and third resolves of C056 and make the amendment the 1st and second resolve of the amended resolve. And taking from C031 the language about the legal contexts and making that the last clause of the first resolve. And then taking the first of C056 and making it the third but removing the language about inclusion in EOW–that was left open ended. We also in that 3rd resolve and 4th include the HOB theology committee to work with the SCLM and the 4th resolve is largely from C031 about the process that resolution recommended for that work to be done in

Candler: obviously we are not going to perfect anything, but let’s have some conversation’….

Lee: C031 has a lot better way starting off the gate as far as language gives

Henry: Perhaps it would get a better hearing if paragraph 3 was first, calling for the dev of liturgies rather than authorizing liturgies not yet prepared.

Read it all.

Resolution: A091
Title: Dismantle Christian Anti-Judaism
Topic: Discrimination
Committee: 13 – Prayer Book, Liturgy and Church Music
House of Initial Action: Bishops
Proposer: Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music

Resolved, the House of _______ concurring, That the 76th General Convention direct the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to continue to collect, develop and disseminate materials that assist members of the Church to address Christian anti-Judaism expressed in and stirred by portions of Christian scriptures and liturgical texts, including the preparation of a pamphlet explaining Christian anti-Judaism and ways to address it in teaching, evangelism, and congregational life; the development of age-appropriate educational materials for children; the identification and evaluation of available resources pertaining to liturgy and music, giving special attention to Holy Week and Easter liturgies and to the diverse traditions of song in The Episcopal Church; and to report the results of its efforts to the 77th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention request that the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops develop, in consultation with the Standing Commissions on Liturgy and Music and on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations, a statement defining Christian anti-Judaism and why it demands our attention, and to report to the 77th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention direct the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $10,000.00 for implementation of this Resolution.

A tissue of lies was all that supported claims made by three of the four deputies from the Diocese of Central Ecuador that the episcopal election process in their diocese was corrupt, the Rt. Rev. Wilfrido Ramos-Orench told the House of Bishops at the close of their afternoon session on July 10.

The Rev. Luis Fernando Ruiz was elected Bishop of Central Ecuador by the House of Bishops March 17 after the diocesan convention deadlocked 18-18. Bishop Ramos, the Provisional Bishop of Central Ecuador, broke the tie by sending it to the House of Bishops for resolution.

However, during the July 10 afternoon session of the House of Deputies, the Rev. Lourdes Inapanta, clergy deputy from Central Ecuador asked the deputies to reject Resolution B023 affirming his election. A clerical error prevented Fr. Ruiz’s elections materials from being distributed to the deputies, and the vote was postponed.

Read it all.

One of the most helpful things the past several days have been the lunches that the deputation from Rio Grande have been sharing together. After the daily Eucharist, around 12:30 or so, we gather in our hospitality room on the 12th floor for lunch and conversation about what has been happening at the Convention. It is very useful to hear from the deputies that have been following legislation from certain committees. For example, Fr. Scott Ruthven has been following the Prayer Book and Liturgy Committee. There are many resolutions arising there that deal with trial liturgies for everything from the loss of a pet, a possible revision of the Hymnal, to a re-write of Eucharistic Prayer C in the Book of Common Prayer. There is also a resolution to add the Rev. Ted Howden, from our diocese, to the commemorations in Lesser Feasts and Fasts, the Episcopal Church’s book of saints and noteworthy individuals. However, there are also some pretty controversial resolutions dealing with blessings of same-gender unions and revision of marriage liturgies to remove gender-specific language. It was to these sorts of resolutions that the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the prelude to his sermon on Thursday, referred, saying that he had “some anxiety” that the General Convention would pass legislation that would cause further division in the Communion. Many of us here from Rio Grande share that anxiety.

Read it all.