Address to General Convention Delegates

This is addressed to all GC delegates. My heart has been so troubled by all of the mudslinging and partisanship in the Church, and this is one way of letting that out. Keep in mind I also issued this statement as an Integrity, Inc. official

TO: General Convention Delegates for the Diocese of Arizona

Dear Delegates,

First, I hope you all understand the significance and the historic nature of the upcoming Convention. At this Convention, we have many resolutions, which will be presented to you that deal with the issues of the GLBTQ population in the Episcopal Church. We will be questioning whether or not to go on with the moratoria legislated as part of Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention. Various parties will be presenting a variety of resolutions regarding the blessings of same-sex unions, and perhaps even one resolution to modify the Book of Common Prayer to delete all gender pronouns in the Solemnization of Marriage and other parts of the Book of Common Prayer. The decisions you make on behalf of parishioners in the Diocese of Arizona will make a history. It is with this in mind that I offer these thoughts on your work at Convention in 2009.

With Regard to The Current Situation in The Church

Today, there is a threat in our church that is as real as could be. We are threatened with the prospect of a major schism, which in the unfortunate cases of the Dioceses of San Joaquin and Pittsburgh has occurred and soon will occur in the Diocese of Fort Worth. This schism threatens to destroy the unity of the Church, which Christ prayed for in the Gospel of John (John 17:20). It also threatens the unique philosophy and approach of Anglicanism in the Episcopal Church, where we are united in the essentials of the faith and in the non-essentials we practice diversity and charity. What is even more unfortunate is that this schism is occurring because of something that I would not regard as an essential point of the Christian faith as has been delineated in our Creeds and historically in the Articles of Religion. We are getting to a point in our Church life where both liberals and conservatives will no longer engage in dialogue with one another, creating a “my way or the highway” approach to communal life in the Body of Christ.
I hope that as General Convention delegates you will do everything in your power to work for unity in the Church and to foster dialogue between disagreeing parties and points of view. This is the only way we can begin to heal the partisan thinking that has so poisoned our Church and our society. In so doing, we also respond to the needs of the community and not so much the individuals. Both sides, liberal and conservative, must be willing to cede ground in order to bring about true reconciliation and unity in this Church. Now you may ask me: “Well such side has not ceded ground, why should we?” Well, we must be the first to cede ground and offer an olive branch. The scriptures tell us: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39ff). If we fail at this, we may never be the same again. It is my hope that Convention not devolve into a partisan quagmire of endless debate without practical solutions for the reconciliation of our fractured communities.

Implications of Our Stance on GLBTQ Issues

As I previously said, you will encounter many resolutions that will affect the life of GLBTQ people not only in this diocese but in the entire Episcopal Church. Some of the proposed resolutions are radical in nature and seek to effect rash and hurried progress towards full inclusion, which in turn may result in more damage to our already fragile communion in the Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion. These resolutions are being proposed by people within the organization I represent, Integrity, Inc. However, from conversations with GLBTQ people and their friends in the diocese, I have not heard much support for rash moves towards inclusion and blessing of same-sex unions. Instead I have heard much support for measured progress that is mindful of the needs of various parishes and dioceses as well as the human concerns of all members of the Church.
In summary, we do not support resolutions which would unduly jeopardize the unity of the Church and force anyone to make a decision to leave the Episcopal Church on the basis of such a resolution. At this time, we do not support resolutions to modify the Book of Common Prayer in any way, or to force dioceses in any way to bless or sanctify in any way the blessing of same-sex relationships under the umbrella of a national policy or rite. In view of the progress achieved by the GLBTQ community in the Diocese of Arizona over the past year, we believe that the best option is to support resolutions that give the discretion and authority over the administration and regulation of such blessings and rites to diocesan Bishops and the option of offering or not offering such blessings and rites to individual parishes.
Having stated that, we also strongly support making progress in the inclusion of GLBTQ people throughout the Church through education and dialogue (Windsor Report §145-146) and by instituting the listening process supported by the Windsor Report. We also support the enforcement of current national non-discriminatory Canons with respect to allowing all qualified people equal access to the life, worship and governance of the Church to include the discernment process. (Constitution & Canons Canon I.17§5, III.1§2 et seq.)

Things to Keep in Mind

In conclusion, I ask you delegates to work for reconciliation and peace in our Church so that we may fulfill what Christ prayed for us: “that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23). By doing so, you will help share the Gospel message not just in our Church, but also in a world that is in need of God’s transforming love.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you as you prepare for General Convention.

Peace be with all of you