Episcopal Press and News
Diocesan Sexuality Study May Provide Model for Church to Deal with Difficult Issues
Episcopal News Service. January 27, 1994 [94012]
After surveying the results of the churchwide study of sexuality mandated by the 1991 General Convention, the committee charged with implementing the study believes that the church may have created a model for dealing with other controversial issues.
"We have 212 trained, experienced diocesan facilitators in 86 dioceses -- and that is a very special gift to the church that should not be lost," said Bishop O'Kelley Whitaker who chaired the committee. "We have found a way to move out of debate and confrontation into dialogue. How do we continue the conversation around these difficult issues?" he asked.
"It appears to our committee that these facilitators could be useful, for example, in small group study of the pastoral teaching on sexuality now being written in the House of Bishops," Whitaker said in an interview following the committee's final meeting. "We hope the bishops recognize what a valuable resource we have at our disposal."
The General Convention authorized both the sexuality study and asked for the pastoral teaching as it continues to wrestle with what it called the "discontinuity" between the church's policies and the experience of some of its members.
The Rev. Canon Gene Robinson of Vermont, a member of the committee, agrees with Whitaker that the sexuality study has long-term implications for the life of the church. He is convinced that the success of the process is due in large part to the fact that it was conceived and implemented by a steering committee from the provinces of the church.
Robinson is also convinced that the Holy Spirit was working through the so-called compromise resolution (A104sa). "It had more wisdom and more richness than anyone could see at the time in calling for a dialogue and for a pastoral teaching. I think we were faithful to the spirit of that resolution," he said.
"As we look at the results, it is clear that those who participated learned that they can deal with the tough issues and not tear apart the body of Christ," Robinson said in an interview. "Many of them were quite amazed when they found it to be a unifying dialogue rather than a debate."
Robinson also thinks that the language of dialogue process is showing up in many places throughout the church. "People are beginning to realize that the goal is no longer to win." He said that 18,000 participants filled out questionnaires for the committee and he is convinced that "at least 30,000 people were touched directly by the dialogue. That is a major intervention in the life of this church."
Both Robinson and Whitaker said that the committee is still determined to avoid its work being interpreted as a referendum on sexuality issues. "This is a snapshot of a part of the Episcopal Church," Robinson said. "It captures one moment in our life, giving us a glimpse of where some of our people are. We don't want to make any more of it than that -- or any less."
In a second part of the questionnaire that asked for personal comments or reactions, "we received many testimonials to the importance of hearing stories, and we saw a broader view of the struggles in people's lives," Whitaker said. "It is obvious to us that the dialogue experience was a very powerful force in the lives of people."
"You can't imagine the seriousness with which people responded to that part of the questionnaire," Robinson added. "They wanted to share what a powerful experience their participation had been." The comments are being shared with the committee of bishops writing the pastoral teaching, he pointed out.
"The most positive responses have come in provincial synods, from people whose lives have been changed," Whitaker said. "There is a new openness and appreciation, a creative joy in sharing pain in the process of dialogue -- and a new appreciation for each other. Perhaps even a new awareness of God."
Whitaker said that the committee now sees that "dialogue has the capacity to create an environment of trust where we can get a better glimpse of God's creation and respect the dignity of all -- just as we say in our baptismal covenant."