The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Social Justice and United States Policy presented its Report #15 on Resolution D039 (Condemning Censorship) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D039)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

That the 81st General Convention calls upon dioceses, congregations, and the Office of Government Relations to condemn the recent surge in actions to restrict access to or censor information in public schools and libraries by advocating for the elimination of the banning of books and information in any form that are not only damaging to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more (LGBTQIA+) individuals as well as individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) but the Beloved Community as a whole; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church take action to safeguard people's rights to access diverse books and information resources in schools, libraries, textbook selection and review committees, bookstores, online, and other relevant platforms and that this Resolution be communicated to all Dioceses for action.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

Resolved, that the 81st General Convention condemn harmful and oppressive book bans which undermine the Beloved Community; and be it further

Resolved, that the 81st General Convention direct the Office of Government Relations to advocate for access to material affirming of LGBTQIA+, racial minority, and other marginalized experiences in schools and libraries; and be it further

Resolved, that the 81st General Convention encourage dioceses and local parishes to work more broadly to support the reading of and access to these affirming materials through initiatives such as:

• storing affirming books and materials in church libraries
• archiving affirming material about LGBTQ+ and POC Christian experiences
• facilitating connection and affirmation of oppressed individuals;

and be it further

Resolved, that the 81st General Convention request grant making bodies affiliated with The Episcopal Church to consider directing funds to support these aims.

Debate ensued.

A voice vote was taken on Resolution D039.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #164)