Executive Council Seeks to Reassure Homosexual Episcopalians

Steve Waring
03/05/2007

With the primates’ ultimatum to end same-sex blessings and the consecration of homosexual candidates for bishop still fresh on the minds of many Episcopalians, Executive Council approved three resolutions in support of sexual minorities.

On the final day of its three-day meeting in Portland, Ore., council also sought to postpone public debate on the requests made of The Episcopal Church in the Feb. 19 communiqué until its June 2007 meeting, but the issue flared briefly during discussion on the draft of a final statement.

Resolution NAC-009 reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to human rights for homosexual persons, quoting from the Windsor Report which stated in part that “any demonizing of homosexual persons, or their ill treatment, is totally against Christian charity and basic principles of pastoral care.”

Resolution NAC-014 urged the Joint Standing Committee on Planning Arrangements not to propose for General Convention's approval a site for the triennial meeting which is located in a state that prohibits domestic partnerships.

Throughout the weekend many members expressed anger and dismay about a proposed Nigerian law that would prohibit advocating for civil rights on behalf of homosexuals in that country. Many consider the proposed law, which appears to have the backing of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, to be as egregious a violation of the Windsor Report as anything that the 75th General Convention did or did not do. In response, Resolution NAC-020 asked The Episcopal Church to help in the resettlement of persecuted lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons. A supplementary handout included with the approved resolution contained a statement of concern about the proposed Nigerian law from the United Nations.

Toward the end of the final plenary session on Sunday afternoon, several council members expressed dissatisfaction with the choices presented to The Episcopal Church in the primates’ Feb. 19 communiqué and with the lack of reassurances to gay and lesbian members in a draft statement to the church on the council’s work during the meeting.

“I feel that there is an elephant in the middle of the room that no one is talking about,” said the Rev. Butch Gamarra of Los Angeles. “This is about power and a lot of other stuff, and we are being told that we should take the high road. But there are people who are hurting, who need to hear from us and know that we are not appeasing those who are bullying us.”

After a 40-minute recess in which a drafting committee significantly amended the first draft, council adopted language reassuring “our lesbian and gay members that they remain a welcome and integral part of The Episcopal Church.”

This article comes from The Living Church Foundation
http://www.livingchurch.org/

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