From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette-
Strong differences have emerged over how to interpret a resolution of the Episcopal Church General Convention regarding partnered gay people being bishops.
Some activists on both sides of the gay ordination issue consider it a repeal of a 2006 moratorium on the consecration of partnered gay bishops, while key leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh say it merely describes the fact that the Episcopal Church already has openly gay priests and one partnered gay bishop.
The moratorium "is still there. We did not repeal it," said Bishop Robert Johnson, assisting bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, which has been rebuilding since October, when the original diocese split after voting to secede from the Episcopal Church.
"I don't see that there would be any threat to the moratorium unless we get presented with another partnered lesbian or gay bishop. That would be the test. But [this resolution] was a clarification, reminding us of where we are in the Episcopal Church. That is the way the bishops saw it," he said.
The General Convention, which governs the 2.1 million-member Episcopal Church, declared Tuesday that gay and lesbian people in lifelong committed relationships "may be called to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church." It continued: "... Christians of good conscience disagree about these matters."
More here-
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09197/984238-455.stm
5 comments:
Tell the truth to Pittsburgh Jim Simons. Let's please not pretend nothing happened at GenCon09. For starters all Pittsburgh Episcopalians should be familiar with these important statements:
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams: “I regret the fact that there is not the will to observe the moratorium…”
Bishop of Durham Tom Wright: “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.”
Canon Theologian Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina Kendall Harmon: “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.”
Episcopal Bishop of Arizona Bishop Kirk Smith: “Although BO33 was not exactly overturned … this resolution was a de facto repudiation of that stance.”
Susan Russell (Integrity): “However you put it, D025 is a resolution that moves us beyond B033...”
Fr. Greg Jones (Anglican Centrist): “Does D025 have the effect of 'looking like' a repudiation of the so-called 'moratorium' sought by Windsor? Of course it does.”
More:
Headline on Episcopal Life Online July 14, 2009: “Bishops approve resolution opening ordination to gays, lesbians”
Episcopal Bishop of Alabama Henry Parsley: “I think it will be interpreted internationally as a rejection of B033”
Dean of Nashotah House Seminary Robert Munday: “D025... effectively removes the moratorium against the consecration of non-celibate gay and lesbian bishops in the Episcopal Church”
Anglican Communion Institute: “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”
Canon Elizabeth Keaton Episcopal Diocese of Newark: “(D025)… in effect, rescinds B033 in very carefully crafted, very gracious language”
How did our pgh delegation vote???
I am waiting to see the efforts of our folks to be the orthodox voice reforming from within??? Isn't that why we stayed in TEC?? I saw a posting of a statement from South Carolina delegation. What about Pgh???
Wow, KJS today in a letter to Rowan Williams conceded that D025 could lead to the consecration of another gay bishop. Her own words: "Some within our Church may understand Resolution D025 to give Standing Committees (made up of elected clergy and laity) and Bishops with jurisdiction more latitude in consenting to episcopal elections" So the moratorium is ended and B033 is of no effect at all if they are free to excercise that latitude.
How did the Pittsburgh delegation vote on B033? A disaster for traditional Christianity. Assisting Bishop Johnson voted YES. In a vote by orders in the House of Deputies the Pittsburgh vote went YES by a 3-1 margin. Only the clergy vote was NO, by a 3-1 margin (any guesses who voted yes?). This was just a terrible slap in the face to those of us who stayed with TEC here in Pittsburgh. Awful.
Fr. Jim-
Given all that has come to pass, I cannot see a future for orthodox Anglicans in the Episcopal Church. Why should we carry on? Sure, there is Good Stuff going on here and there, but we're being rolled over now (more politely than before since our numbers in Convention are so small). How can we still in good faith raise our families in a denomination which is so adrift? How are we better off by being under a bishop who votes Yes on the key liberal resolutions? Help!!
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