Episcopal Press and News
Bishop Proposes Binding Canon on Sexual Morality of the Clergy
Episcopal News Service. April 29, 1991 [91101]
It is time for the Episcopal Church to define its expectations of the clergy in the area of sexual morality, according to a prominent bishop who will introduce a new canon at the General Convention in Phoenix.
Bishop William Frey has announced that he will propose a canon saying that "all members of the clergy of this church... shall be under the obligation to abstain from sexual relations outside of Holy Matrimony."
Frey, former bishop of Colorado who serves as dean of the Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, said in an interview that his proposal "would bring clarity to the church's position on sexuality issues."
The Frey proposal would not require a vow of chastity on the part of clergy, but would, in effect, obligate them to such a lifestyle based on their promise at ordination "to uphold the doctrine [and] discipline" of the church. "I believe that Holy Matrimony is the biblical sexual ethic. Anything else is outside the bounds of the church's position," Frey said.
In a letter to bishops seeking cosponsors of his proposal, Frey asserted that the canon would recognize an existing "double standard" between expectations in the church of laity and clergy. "Clergy are expected to provide 'effective examples in word and action.' In other words, they are to be role models," he wrote.
Frey said that his proposal would address the need to establish clear standards for defining sexual misconduct by clergy in the face of a rising number of lawsuits. Frey is a defendant in a case concerning a priest under his supervision, dating from the time when he was bishop of Colorado. "I admit that a canon will not solve our problems, but I believe it will lessen our liability and exposure in those cases where sexual misconduct is alleged," Frey said.
Frey said that his proposal would also address the debate in the church on the subject of homosexuals in the clergy. "Homosexuals would be included in my proposal. I'm not in favor of ordaining [noncelibate] homosexual people. I have no trouble with them if they lead a celibate life," he said.
Frey acknowledged that his proposal would be pitted against a resolution of the Standing Commission on Human Affairs that would leave the question of fitness of all candidates to be ordained -- including homosexuals -- to local bishops and Commissions on Ministries. "If nothing else were being proposed, I might not propose this," Frey said. He added that an earlier proposal offered by Bishop John Howe of Central Florida "would likely be withdrawn."
As many as 15 bishops have told Frey that they would cosponsor his canon proposal. Frey reported that he received "many expressions of support" when he presented his proposal at a recent meeting of the Iranaeus fellowship, an informal study group of 60 bishops who support traditional teachings of the church. "I haven't kept a count, but I estimate that 40 to 45 bishops have expressed support for the canon," he said.
Frey admitted that he was not sure how his canon might be enforced throughout the church. "I'm not interested in witch hunts, and I never have been. I am not trying to add another cause for deposition," Frey said. "But I think we must state what the ideal is. We need to announce the ideal whether we are able to live up to it or not. This [proposal] is a brief canonical expression of what we said in 1979."
Although the 1979 General Convention adopted a resolution saying that it was "not appropriate" to ordain noncelibate homosexuals, 44 bishops subsequently signed a public statement of dissent saying that they would not be bound by the resolution.
In December 1989, one of the dissenting bishops, the Rt. Rev. John Spong of Newark (New Jersey), ordained a noncelibate homosexual to the priesthood. Although the House of Bishops voted in its annual meeting in Washington, DC, last fall to "disassociate" itself from the ordination, the question regarding the binding authority of the 1979 resolution was a major bone of contention.
Frey was clear that his proposal would bind the bishops who had publicly dissented from the 1979 resolution. "I think it would bind everybody who vows to obey the constitution and canons of the church," he said. If his proposal is adopted by the convention, Frey said that future ordinations of noncelibate homosexuals would be an "act of ecclesiastical disobedience."
Although the new canon would be binding on the church, Frey denied that it would stifle discussion on the matter of human sexuality. "Dialogue is going to continue as long as there are people in the church. The fact that a certain issue is under discussion does not mean that the previous resolution is therefore out of bounds while we discuss it," he said.
Frey added that he hoped the adoption of his proposed canon would help move the church on to subjects other than sexuality. "The sexuality tail is wagging the dog. I'd like to see other issues come to the fore," he said. "Let's get on with sharing the Gospel to a hurting world."