Steve Waring has two new articles posted for TLC.
The first is a brief article “Writing Group Presents House of Bishops With Draft”
He outlines what happened and identifies the members of the working group. His summary:
Aside from a brief positive reference to a pastoral scheme based around delegated pastoral episcopal oversight (DEPO), the statement offered few new proposals with respect to the three requests made of The Episcopal Church by the primates in their communique last February. The statement noted that the Windsor Report had commended DEPO and suggested that this could form the basis for a way acceptable to the bishops for ministering to minority groups that are unable to accept the current direction of The Episcopal Church on issues of human sexuality.
The statement also noted that the church’s position on same-sex blessings has not been well received by a significant number of Anglicans worldwide, but no details on how the situation might be improved. It was largely silent on the possible consecration of additional partnered homosexual persons as bishops.
The second is entitled: Bishops Struggle to Craft Satisfactory Statement
As members of the House of Bishops began filing out of the plenary hall for lunch Monday, several expressed dissatisfaction with the direction taken in the draft statement proposed by the writing committee. The proposed draft attempted to incorporate the main points contained in many of the resolutions previously submitted for consideration, albeit with watered-down language in at least some cases.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori suggested that the statement by the writing committee should be considered a substitute version of the original resolutions that were submitted. The writing committee is not scheduled to present a revised draft of its statement until Tuesday morning, the final day of the House of Bishops’ Sept. 20-25 meeting in New Orleans.
“We need to give the Archbishop of Canterbury something more than this,” said Bishop John Chane of Washington. Bishop Chane said he would seek a point of privilege to debate a revised version of a resolution that Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana originally submitted before the meeting began. Bishop Chane said he and Bishop J. Jon Bruno of Los Angeles had been working with Bishop Jenkins to perfect the original language.
Under the rules of procedure by which the house is governed, Bishop Chane’s motion may be denied or accepted for a vote by Bishop Jefferts Schori, who presides. If accepted, his proposal to change the agenda would require approval from a majority of those present.
In other news from Monday morning, the joint steering committee of the primates and the Anglican Consultative Council held their private meeting this morning.
[blockquote]Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori suggested that the statement by the writing committee should be considered a substitute version of the original resolutions that were submitted. The writing committee is not scheduled to present a revised draft of its statement until Tuesday morning, the final day of the House of Bishops’ Sept. 20-25 meeting in New Orleans.[/blockquote]
The total control-freakery of 815 is so blatant here that I can’t beleve that even some of our “moderate” nebbishops haven’t spoken up. Obviously 815 is utterly terrified that the HoB might actually take some steps to resolve the impasse in the Communion.
Mrs. Schori did quite well at stage-managing the Diocesan Conventions here in Nevada, but it will be interesting to see if she can succeed in doing it with a slightly more experienced population.
There seem to be several references to “perfecting the language” of the report in statments from bishops. I assume that means applying the teflon coating that will allow it to slip through almost any opening…