(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.”
“Bishops serving on the committee caucused privately immediately after the vote, and later declined to comment about the vote. Bishops serving on the committee include the Rt. Revs.: Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island, chair; Jean Zache Duracin of Haiti; Dena Harrison, Suffragan Bishop of Texas; William Skilton of South Carolina/Dominican Republic and Charles Keyser, retired of the Armed Forces. Bishop Leo Frade of Southeast Florida and Assisting Bishop E. Don Taylor of New York were listed as committee members but were not present.” +Wolf and +Skilton were surely two votes against. Any guesses on the third vote? +Harrison?
Susan Russell says in a comment on the Living Church piece on this that +Wolf was actually one of the two votes for it. Anyone know if that’s correct? If so, the so-called “Communion Partner” bishops seem to be all over the map — once again!