.
Deputies Begin Special B033 Discussions
Friday, July 10, 2009 at 11:43 am
Tags: general convention, b033
Channel: Living Church
Author: Steve Waring
The House of Deputies met today in the first of two special sessions to discuss Resolution B033, the 2006 General Convention resolution that called for restraint in consenting to the election of a bishop “whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.”
Deputies meeting in Anaheim, Calif., discussed B033 under special rules of order known as a “committee of the whole.” This procedure allows normal legislative rules of debate to be suspended.
The Rev. Gay C. Jennings of Ohio and co-chairwoman of the Committee on World Mission, which is responsible for compiling all resolutions pertaining to B033, gave a brief historical summary. She said the House of Bishops, at a 2007 meeting in New Orleans, clarified the wording of resolution so that the “manner of life” clause was understood to refer primarily to partnered homosexual persons.
She explained that General Convention could choose one of five options: let the resolution stand, reaffirm its passage in 2006, disavow it, declare that the church has moved beyond the previous action by reaffirming the non-discriminatory provisions contained in the canons, or draft a new statement affirming “the full participation of partnered gay and lesbian Episcopalians in all orders of ministry.”
Ms. Jennings asked deputies to each meet with an unfamiliar member of the house and discuss three questions: What is your story with respect to Resolution B033? What is our story as a Church with respect to Resolution B033? What is God calling us to do now?
The House of Bishops debated whether to attend the hearing today, but eventually decided against it, according to the Rt. Rev. J. Thomas Shaw, SSJC, Bishop of Massachusetts, who responded to a question at a media briefing at the close of the day’s legislative session.
A second special session in the House of Deputies has been scheduled during Friday’s morning legislative session. Deputies were instructed to pick up numbered tokens. Those whose tokens numbered 15 or less will be allowed to address the house for two minutes.
In other business, Bonnie Anderson was unanimously elected to a second term as president of the House of Deputies.
They also consented to the elections of the Very Rev. John Tarrant as Bishop Coadjutor of South Dakota and the Rev. Lawrence Provenzano as Bishop Coadjutor of Long Island.
Steve Waring reporting from General Convention in Anaheim.
Go to the originating news channel for this excerpt to read the full article >> Deputies meeting in Anaheim, Calif., discussed B033 under special rules of order known as a “committee of the whole.” This procedure allows normal legislative rules of debate to be suspended.
The Rev. Gay C. Jennings of Ohio and co-chairwoman of the Committee on World Mission, which is responsible for compiling all resolutions pertaining to B033, gave a brief historical summary. She said the House of Bishops, at a 2007 meeting in New Orleans, clarified the wording of resolution so that the “manner of life” clause was understood to refer primarily to partnered homosexual persons.
She explained that General Convention could choose one of five options: let the resolution stand, reaffirm its passage in 2006, disavow it, declare that the church has moved beyond the previous action by reaffirming the non-discriminatory provisions contained in the canons, or draft a new statement affirming “the full participation of partnered gay and lesbian Episcopalians in all orders of ministry.”
Ms. Jennings asked deputies to each meet with an unfamiliar member of the house and discuss three questions: What is your story with respect to Resolution B033? What is our story as a Church with respect to Resolution B033? What is God calling us to do now?
The House of Bishops debated whether to attend the hearing today, but eventually decided against it, according to the Rt. Rev. J. Thomas Shaw, SSJC, Bishop of Massachusetts, who responded to a question at a media briefing at the close of the day’s legislative session.
A second special session in the House of Deputies has been scheduled during Friday’s morning legislative session. Deputies were instructed to pick up numbered tokens. Those whose tokens numbered 15 or less will be allowed to address the house for two minutes.
In other business, Bonnie Anderson was unanimously elected to a second term as president of the House of Deputies.
They also consented to the elections of the Very Rev. John Tarrant as Bishop Coadjutor of South Dakota and the Rev. Lawrence Provenzano as Bishop Coadjutor of Long Island.
Steve Waring reporting from General Convention in Anaheim.
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
Be First to Discuss Printer-friendly version
