The House of Bishops on July 1
passed three resolutions on the issue of alcohol and drug abuse.
Resolution D014 recommends that ordinands should be
questioned at the very beginning of the discernment process about addiction and
substance use in their lives and family systems.
The bishops also passed Resolution A159, which acknowledges the church’s role in
the culture of alcohol and drug abuse.
Bishop Mark Hollingsworth of Ohio,
chair of the Legislative Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, said A159 is intended
to give direction in how the church can move forward in owning that reality of
complicity and in healing.
Resolution A158, to create a task force to review and
revise policy on substance abuse, addiction and recovery, passed with one
amendment. The amended resolution will return to the House of Deputies for
concurrence.
The amendment asks that when
offering the sacrament, a nonalcoholic wine be provided. The original
resolution had suggested a nonalcoholic alternative, but did not specify that
it be wine.
A day earlier, deputies had overwhelmingly
supported the resolutions, asserting the time has come to transform the
church’s “unhealthy and unholy relationship” with alcohol and addiction.
The Rev. Steve Lane, treasurer of Recovery Ministries of
The Episcopal Church, was stationed at a booth during General Convention and
said he is excited to see the church finally beginning to face the challenges
of addiction.
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