The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on World Mission presented its Report #8 on Resolution A080 (Create a Task Force on Countering the Colonial Mindset) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A080)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the 81st General Convention reckon with the history and present reality of colonialism in The Episcopal Church and its dual identity as a former colony and a colonizing power; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention recognize the following working definition of the colonial mindset as: “the living legacy of colonialism in the 21st century exemplified by the supremacy of Western/European mindsets, modes of thinking, cultural and economic systems, and bodies in former colonial states and their partners”; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention create a Task Force on Countering the Colonial Mindset, whose mandate include, but be not limited to, researching and highlighting historic and present realities of the colonial mindset in our common life, and establishing educational materials for dioceses, churches, and mission partners to use in their work and ministry; and be it further

Resolved, That the task force begin its work no later than January 1, 2025 and conclude its work at the conclusion of the 82nd General Convention with the submission of a report with recommendations to the 82nd General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the membership of this task force be appointed by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies and include up to two Bishops appointed by the Presiding Bishop; up to four Clergy and up to ten Lay Persons appointed by the President of the House of Deputies, with special consideration given to inclusion of faculty from accredited Episcopal seminaries or Episcopal/Anglican formation centers within university systems and partners with specialties in Colonialism and Missiology; and be it further

Resolved, The General Convention request a budget allocation $150,000 to create such a task force and publish educational materials for countering the colonial mindset for use by dioceses, churches, and mission partners.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the 81st General Convention reckon with the history and present reality of colonialism in The Episcopal Church and its dual identity as a former colony and a colonizing power; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention recognize the following working definition of the colonial mindset as: “the living legacy of colonialism in the 21st century exemplified by the supremacy of Western/European mindsets, modes of thinking, cultural and economic systems, and bodies in former colonial states and their partners”; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention create a Task Force on Countering the Colonial Mindset, whose mandate include, but be not limited to, researching and highlighting historic and present realities of the colonial mindset in our common life, and establishing educational materials for dioceses, churches, and mission partners to use in their work and ministry; and be it further

Resolved, That the task force begin its work no later than January 1, 2025 and conclude its work at the conclusion of the 82nd General Convention with the submission of a report with recommendations to the 82nd General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the membership of this task force be appointed by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies and include up to two Bishops appointed by the Presiding Bishop; up to four Clergy and up to ten Lay Persons appointed by the President of the House of Deputies, with special consideration given to inclusion of  persons from non-domestic diocese, Indigenous persons, youth and young adults, mission agencies, and faculty from accredited Episcopal seminaries or Episcopal/Anglican formation centers within university systems and partners with specialties in Colonialism and Missiology; and be it further

Resolved, The General Convention request a budget allocation $150,000 request the Executive Council to allocate $150,000 to create such a task force and publish educational materials for countering the colonial mindset for use by dioceses, churches, and mission partners.

Proposed Amendment:

The Rt. Rev. Jeff Fisher, Diocese of Texas, proposed an amendment to the resolution (FA056) to change the allocation amount in the sixth Resolve clause from $150,000 to $10,000.

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

A vote was taken on the amended Resolution A080.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #119)