The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

Original Text of Resolution

(B023)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That all members of the Church, especially those in positions of authority, be reminded that acts of discrimination against congregations or persons whose beliefs are a matter of conscience in this area are inappropriate and that such acts are contrary to our understanding of the Gospel and have the effect of undermining the unity of the Church; and be it further

Resolved, That the Presiding Bishop appoint a special committee whose function would be to assist those persons, male and female, who have been denied access to the opportunity to test a vocation to ordained ministry or deployment as an ordained person based solely on gender or opposition to the action of the 65th General Convention. This committee shall report annually to the Presiding Bishop.

Proposed Committee Substitute:

This Church acted at the 65th General Convention to authorize the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate. There is a growing consensus that the large numbers of women now serving in Holy Orders have brought fresh and complementary gifts to the priestly ministry; and that, although this decision has resulted in joy in many quarters of the Church, it has also resulted in awkwardness, both for its advocates and its opponents. Accepting this tension and anticipating the probability of the election and ordination of a woman to the episcopate, this Convention strongly urges all bishops, Standing Committees, and Commissions on Ministry to strive for justice and peace and to be sensitive to the pastoral needs of all their people. In any diocese where reconciliation is necessary, the diocesan bishop should seek continuing dialogue with clergy and congregations whose convictions differ from the bishop's, so that the unity of the church will continue unimpaired and even strengthened. This Church is confident that the bishops of the Episcopal Church will deal pastorally with those bishops, priests, deacons, or lay persons who may not be able to accept women as bishops.

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That in a Diocese where women have not been ordained or allowed to exercise the priesthood, the 69th General Convention joins the 1987 Interim Meeting of the House of Bishops in commending the model established by the former Bishop of Chicago, the Right Reverend James Montgomery, which supports and nurtures women in the testing and exercise of their vocations within the Diocese, and encourages congregations which desire the ministry of ordained women; and be it further

Resolved, That in congregations within a diocese, where clergy and people cannot accept the decision of the Church to ordain women, their position be respected by those who do accept this Church's decision; and be it further

Resolved, That when a woman is elected bishop, the Presiding Bishop and bishop-elect jointly select an advisory group to support and assist her as she deems necessary.

[On the fourth day] The Chairman of the Committee of the Dispatch of Business moved that the House move into a Committee of the Whole for twenty minutes to discuss the Committee on Ministry Reports #24 and #25, concerning Resolutions B022 and B023, respectively.

Motion carried

The Bishop of Newark moved to extend the time of the Committee of the Whole by ten minutes.

Motion carried

The Chairman of the Committee on Dispatch of Business moved to extend the time until 12:00 noon [when the House was to recess].

Motion carried

[Later that day] the Committee on Ministry presented its Report on B023 and moved adoption of a Substitute Resolution.

The Bishop of Chicago moved to amend the Substitute Resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

In the first Resolved, after the word "Montgomery," delete the word "which" and insert the words "in which the ordinary of the Diocese, while declining to ordain women to the priesthood," in its place.

The amendment was accepted by the Committee.

The Bishop Coadjutor of Long Island moved to amend the Substitute Resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Delete the third Resolved.

The Bishop of New Hampshire moved a substitute amendment.

Proposed Substitute Amendment:

Retain the third Resolved and add the words "and her colleagues in the House" after the words "to support and assist her," and change the words "she deems" to "they deem."

Motion defeated

Substitute amendment defeated

The House voted on the amendment to delete the third Resolved.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

The Bishop of Los Angeles moved to amend the Substitute Resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Delete the second Resolved.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

The House voted on the Substitute Resolution.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #68)