Bishops oppose divestment in Israel, Palestine

The House of Bishops sent a strong and clear message July 2 that divestment from companies and corporations engaged in certain business related to the State of Israel is not in the best interests of The Episcopal Church, its partners in the Holy Land, interreligious relations, and the lives of Palestinians on the ground.

The bishops rejected Substitute Resolution D016, which would have called on the Executive Council’s Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to develop a list of U.S. and foreign corporations that provide goods and services that support the infrastructure of Israel’s Occupation “to monitor its investments and apply its CSR policy to any possible future investments” in such companies.

Although the resolution didn’t use the word “divestment,” some bishops expressed concern that it was heading in that direction. Others reminded the house that Archbishop Suheil Dawani of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem has urged the Episcopal Church not to adopt a policy that would make it more difficult for him to manage his congregations and the more than 30 social service institutions throughout Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian Territories. Those institutions include schools, hospitals, clinics and centers for people with disabilities and serve people of all faiths.

“Any hint of divestment will hamper the ministry of Archbishop Suheil Dawani and his priests and congregations in the Middle East,” said Bishop Jay Magness, bishop suffragan for Federal Ministries who served on the Legislative Committee on Social Justice and International Policy that considered the resolutions. “We were assured by the treasurer that we don’t have any direct investments in the usually named companies,” such as Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard, G4S, and Motorola Solutions.

General Convention passed two resolutions on peacemaking. Substitute Resolution B013, proposed by Bishop Nick Knisely of Rhode Island, “reaffirms the vocation of the Church as an agent of reconciliation and restorative justice,” and recognizes that “meaningful reconciliation can help to engender sustainable, long-lasting peace and that such reconciliation must incorporate both political action and locally driven grassroots efforts.” Knisely said his resolution is part of a process “inviting us all into a larger conversation over the next triennium to talk through” positive investment.

Resolution C018 expresses solidarity with and support for Christians in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories; affirms the work of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in healing, education, and pastoral care; and affirms the work of Christians engaged in relationship building, interfaith dialogue, nonviolence training, and advocacy for the rights of Palestinians. The resolution also urges Episcopalians to demonstrate their solidarity by making pilgrimage to Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories and learning from fellow Christians in the region.

Convention calls for closer relations with Episcopal Church in Cuba

The U.S.-based Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church of Cuba took a step toward closer relations during the 78^th General Convention, meeting here June 25-July 3. Convention also passed a resolution calling for the U.S. government to lift its economic embargo against Cuba.

“As state-to-state diplomatic relations between the United States and the government of Cuba are quickly progressing, the focus of The Episcopal Church upon our relationship with the Episcopal Church in Cuba should be intensified wherever possible,” said the Rt. Rev. James Magness, bishop suffragan for the Armed Forces and Federal Ministries of The Episcopal Church, who visited Cuba recently and proposed Resolution B003.

“The Episcopal Church in Cuba, our Anglican Communion partner, is a clear multiplier when it comes to the spiritual, social and physical infrastructure of the country of Cuba, and therefore has the potential to be a significant partner for us as we move forward to enhance our relationships,” he said.
Resolution B003 called on General Convention to “acknowledge and affirm” the Cuban church’s decision to request membership as a diocese, and to identify and address the canonical issues, including offering pensions to clergy, involved with Cuba becoming a diocese.

Resolution B002 called for the embargo to be lifted, and directed The Episcopal Church’s Washington, D.C.-based Office of Government Relations “to concentrate its effort with respect to this issue toward lifting aspects of the embargo that impede The Episcopal Church’s partnership with The Episcopal Church in Cuba.”

Convention agrees to major structural changes

The General Convention has approved two resolutions making major changes to the structure of The Episcopal Church.

The deputies and bishops serving on the Committee of Structure and Governance, which considered the resolutions, “were united in love for this church and its mission,” Committee Chair Bishop Clifton Daniel of Pennsylvania told the House of Bishops July 2. “In the end the tone of our conversations brought hope as our church enters into a renewing process of change.”

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Video: Get to know Presiding Bishop-elect Michael Curry

Bishop-elect Michael Curry speaks about his priorities for leadership and administration, the role of the church in engaging God’s mission in the world, the state of race relations in the U.S., the importance of Anglican Communion partnerships, and his commitment to what he calls the Jesus Movement, to go out into the world “to bear witness to the good news of Jesus.” Click here to watch.

General Convention approves marriage equality

On July 1, General Convention approved canonical and liturgical changes to provide marriage equality for Episcopalians.

The House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops’ approval the day before of a canonical change eliminating language defining marriage as between a man and a woman (Resolution A036) and authorizing two new marriage rites with language allowing them to be used by same-sex or opposite-sex couples (Resolution A054).

The resolutions marked the culmination of a conversation launched when the 1976 General Convention said that “homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance and pastoral concern and care of the church,” said the Very Rev. Brian Baker, deputy chair of the Special Legislative Committee on Marriage. “That resolution began a 39-year conversation about what that full and equal claim would look like. The conversation has been difficult for many and painful for many.”

Resolutions A054 and A036 represented compromises reached after prayerful consideration and conversation within the legislative committee, and then the House of Bishops to make room for everyone, Baker said. “I know that most of you will find something … to dislike and to disagree with” in the resolutions, he said, asking deputies to “look through the lens of how this compromise makes room for other people.”

A054 passed by 94-12 with 2 divided deputations in the clerical order and 90-11-3 in the lay order. A036 passed 85-15-6 in the clerical order and 88-12-6 in the lay order.

Besides authorizing two new marriage liturgies, A054 also approves for continued use “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant” from “Liturgical Resources I,” which General Convention approved for provisional use in 2012, “under the direction and with the permission of the bishop exercising ecclesiastical authority.”

The two new liturgies, “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Marriage” and “The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage 2” from “Liturgical Resources 1: I Will Bless You and You Will be a Blessing, Revised and Expanded 2015” from the supplemental Blue Book materials of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, are authorized for use beginning this Advent. Those rites offer the option of using “wife,” “husband,” “person” or “spouse,” thus making them applicable for all couples. The liturgies can be found on pages 2-151 here from the materials provided to convention by the standing commission, including one rejected by bishops in their deliberations.

A054 stipulates: “Bishops exercising ecclesiastical authority or, where appropriate, ecclesiastical supervision, will make provision for all couples asking to be married in this church to have access to these liturgies. Trial use is only to be available under the discretion and with the permission of the diocesan bishop.”

The resolution also says that “bishops may continue to provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church.” Both resolutions say that clergy retain the canonical right to refuse to officiate at any wedding.

Resolution A036 revises Canon I.18 titled “Of the Solemnization of Holy Matrimony” (page 58 of The Episcopal Church’s canons here). Among many edits, it removes references to marriage as being between a man and a woman. The revised first section of the canon now says that clergy “shall conform to the laws of the state governing the creation of the civil status of marriage, and also these canons concerning the solemnization of marriage. Members of the clergy may solemnize a marriage using any of the liturgical forms authorized by this church.”

General Convention admits “alcohol affects us all”

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.

Did you know? General Convention includes a Children’s Program

The hot topic of debate on the morning of July 1 among the General Convention participants who have taken over the second floor meeting rooms at Salt Lake City’s Marriott Downtown was chocolate pudding. The specific question at hand: Can we have more, please?

It was snack time at the children’s program, which has been serving about 20 to 30 infants and children through age 12, each day, according to Becky Ball. She is the local Salt Lake City organizer for the program, a collaborative effort between the Diocese of Utah and the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society’s Office of Lifelong Formation.

“It’s a little crazy at times, but it’s a lot of fun and it’s going really well,” Ball, with a half-opened pudding cup in hand, said during a momentary break in the action.

Under the care of a dozen teenage counselors and as many adult volunteers, the children attend the daily Eucharist, enjoy age-appropriate activities and get to do something many adult convention-goers would be willing to trade their voting credentials for: They take naps. There also are field trips for the older kids. So far they’ve visited Salt Lake’s Museum of Natural History, the zoo and the food distribution ministry at the Cathedral Church of St. Mark.

The program enables parents, who might otherwise not be able to attend General Convention, to participate fully at the triennial gathering.

The program is about more than just childcare, according to its organizers. Its Christian formation component has the children exploring daily Scripture lessons in a hands-on way. Today’s gospel lesson was the parable of the lost sheep, so the little ones were making sheep out of paper plates and cotton balls; the older group was building a LEGO scene from the story.

There has been a children’s program at General Convention since 2006. Having children present, the program’s organizers say, means that the entire church community is present.