Episcopal Press and News

Diocese of Washington Postpones Pro-gay/Anti-gay Resolutions

Episcopal News Service. February 13, 1997 [97-1692W]

(ENS) At its recent convention, the Diocese of Washington voted to postpone discussion of the pro- and anti-gay resolutions before it and instead continue work with a pilot dialogue. A spokesman for the Continuing the Dialogue Committee, which included representatives of both Integrity/Washington (a pro-gay group) and Save Our Church (an anti-gay group), reported that the committee had developed a dialogue format similar to that used by Common Ground on the abortion issue. He said that a pilot test of the dialogue held in November 1996 was successful and would be reproduced throughout the diocese during the next year. Carolyn Feinglass, co-convener of Integrity/Washington and a member of the committee, said that the "dialogue process is the best chance to save the church from division. Integrity supports it completely." Five resolutions related to homosexuality (4 anti-gay, 1 pro-gay) were due to be considered by convention. However, as a result of the pilot dialogue, two sponsors agreed to withdraw their resolutions and jointly sponsor a substitute resolution that affirmed the diocesan dialogue process. Both sponsors made it clear that they were not retreating from their positions on homosexuality, but that they believed that dialogue was essential for resolving this conflict. The Committee on Resolutions recommended that the other three anti-gay resolutions be postponed indefinitely, noting that this topic had been exhaustively discussed at previous conventions, and the motion passed overwhelmingly.