The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations presented its Report #16 on Resolution D055 (Create an Ecumenical and Interreligious Working Group) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D055)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention, pursuant to Canon I.1.2(n)(1)(v), create an Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations Working Group of the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons (SCSGCC); and be it further

Resolved, That the Working Group will address matters of ecumenical and interreligious significance including but not limited to: responding to ecumenical and interreligious issues that may arise between meetings of General Convention; have primary responsibility for developing responses to ecumenical interreligious documents; assisting the Presiding Bishop, appropriate DFMS staff and the Executive Council with formulating and implementing ecumenical and interreligious policy; and providing such other assistance and counsel to the SCSGCC with respect to matters that come before the SCSGCC that have ecumenical or interreligious significance, in collaboration with the Deputy for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations (or such other officer(s) that may be appropriate in the future); and be it further

Resolved, That the Ecumenical and Interreligious Working Group serve for as long as the SCSGCC determines that it needs the assistance and counsel of the Working Group; and be it further

Resolved, That the membership of the Ecumenical and Interreligious Working Group include up to three Bishops appointed by the Presiding Bishop for three-year terms and up to three Priests and/or Deacons and up to three lay persons appointed by the President of the House of Deputies for three-year terms, and members of the SCSGCC appointed by the SCSGCC; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Commission on Program, Budget and Finance add $25,000 to the budget of the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons for the triennium for the Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations Working Group.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention, pursuant to Canon I.1.2(n)(1)(v), create an Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations Working Group of thepursuant to Joint Rule IX.22, create a task force with membership appointed by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies to report annually to the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons (SCSGCC) its work in addressing; and be it further

Resolved, That the Working Group will address matters of ecumenical and interreligious significance, including but not limited to: responding to ecumenical and interreligious issues that may arise between meetings of General Convention; have primary responsibility for developing responses to ecumenical and interreligious documents; assisting the Presiding Bishop, appropriate DFMS staff, and the Executive Council with formulating and implementing ecumenical and interreligious policy; and providing such other assistance and counsel to the SCSGCC with respect to matters that come before the SCSGCC that have ecumenical or interreligious significance, in collaboration with the Deputy for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations and Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (or such other officer(s) that may be appropriate in the future); and be it further

Resolved, That the task force shall begin on January 1, 2019, and end at the end of the 81st General Convention, unless its mandate is extended by that Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the task force shall provide an interim report to the 80th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the membership of the Ecumenical and Interreligious Working Groupthis task force include up to three Bishops appointed by the Presiding Bishop for threesix-year terms; and up to three Priests and/or Deacons and up to three lay persons appointed by the President of the House of Deputies for threesix-year terms, ; and up to three members of the SCSGCC appointed by the SCSGCC; and be it further

Resolved, That the 79th General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $25,000 for the implementation of this resolution.

Resolved, That the Ecumenical and Interreligious Working Group serve for as long as the SCSGCC determines that it needs the assistance and counsel of the Working Group; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Commission on Program, Budget and Finance add $25,000 to the budget of the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons for the triennium for the Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations Working Group.

The Rt. Rev. Rob Wright, Bishop of Atlanta, moved the previous question.

Motion carried

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #280)