GC2006 Take Three--All I Need is Three Deputies

GC Resolution DXXX

Resolved , the House of __________________ concurring,

that from the 27th of July 2006, the Feast of William Reed Huntington, Priest according to the Calendar of this Church, until the 27th of July 2009, it shall be an offense within the meaning of Title IV, Canon 1, Section 1 of the Canons of this Church for a Bishop in this Church to consecrate anyone a Bishop for this Church or for a Church in communion with this Church.

Resolved ,

that from the 27th of July 2006 until the 27th of July 2009, it shall be an offense within the meaning of Title IV, Canon 1, Section 1 of the Canons of this Church for any Deacon, Priest, or Bishop of this Church to officiate at the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage, the Blessing of a Civil Marriage, An Order for Marriage, any rites heretofore irregular but within the bounds of our common life in which covenants are made between two persons of the same sex, or act as an officiant for anything considered a marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership at civil law.

Resolved ,

that from the 27th of July 2006 until the 27th of July 2009, the Presiding Bishop in consultation with the House of Bishops may authorize pastoral provisions for the unusual change in the life of the Church during this time, provided that such provisions do not violate the first two resolves of this Resolution.

Explanation: The Anglican Communion through the Windsor Report has recommended that the Episcopal Church desist from consecrating bishops who are in covenants other than Holy Matrimony and also desist from authorizing liturgies for the celebration of such covenants. At the same time, many members of the Episcopal Church have frank and serious disagreement with the theological motivation for these recommendations. However, recognizing that the recent fractures in the Anglican Communion will not be healed by continuing with all due speed on the course of enshrining these theological views throughout the life and doctrine of the Episcopal Church, this Resolution proposes to recognize as far as possible that gay and lesbian Episcopalians and Anglicans throughout the world who disagree with recent actions of the Episcopal Church have a full and equal claim on the conscience of this Church. Thus, the Resolution proposes to comply with the recommendations of the Windsor Report regarding concrete actions by the Episcopal Church but also suspend episcopal consecrations and marriages in consideration for Dioceses who feel called to elect gays and lesbians to the episcopate and for faithful gay and lesbian couples, who presently do not receive the ecclesiastical sanction for their relationships that many of us believe they are entitled to by natural law, Scripture, and Tradition. The Resolution also permits the Presiding Bishop and the House of Bishops to authorize pastoral provisions to deal with this interruption in our common life, while we seek closer engagement with Provinces in the Communion from which we are presently estranged. Pastoral provisions could include authorization for an exchange of marriage vows within the context of the principal Sunday Eucharist after the Peace or accomodations for alternate episcopal oversight of Dioceses with episcopal vacancies.


Frankly, I think the Explanation needs a little more Scripture. [I probably would confuse everyone by citing Romans.] But frankly, I think this resolution is shorter, to the point, and recognizes the great tension in both the Church and the Communion.)