Thursday, May 14, 2009

P.B. Opposes Revisiting Resolution B033


This year’s General Convention will be a “magic kingdom” to rival the nearby Disneyland amusement park, according to the three senior officers in charge of convention planning and the bishop of the host diocese. The four spoke at a press conference broadcast over the internet on May 13.

“What happens at General Convention will affect you,” Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in response to a question emailed by a viewer. “It governs how your diocese is served by church-wide staff and how your diocese uses church-wide resources.”

In addition to Bishop Jefferts Schori, participants included Bonnie Anderson, president of the House of Deputies; the Rev. Gregory Straub, executive officer and secretary of General Convention; and the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, Bishop of Los Angeles.

A number of viewers wanted to know how results from the recently concluded meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council might affect convention. Bishop Jefferts Schori said the need to debate the proposed Anglican Covenant obviously was a moot point since it failed to pass during the ACC meeting in Jamaica last week.

In response to a question regarding the repeal of B033, the resolution approved at General Convention in 2006 that recommends caution in consecrating bishops whose manner of life might cause distress to other members of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Jefferts Schori said B033 would be debated, but that she opposes its repeal.

“I would far more prefer that we say here is where we are today,” she said, adding that it was a more positive way to express the mind of the church.

Bishop Jefferts Schori, Bishop Bruno and Mrs. Anderson all expressed hope that the church would emerge from convention as a people empowered and excited about mission.

“In the past we tried to do that through programs,” Mrs. Anderson said. “I’m not sure it is in our DNA yet.”

http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/5/13/pb-opposes-revisiting-b033

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