The Bishop of
Posted
by Kendall Harmon
A
response and reflections on General Convention 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Permit me to begin with the Collect for this
day, the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. I realize that all of you heard this a
moment ago at the outset of the service, but in light of what I am going to share, it bears being offered once again.
“Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because
it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it by your
goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” [BCP p.232]
This prayer sums up what is before us, and how this will ultimately be brought
to be, if we allow God’s will and the leading of his Holy Spirit to move us
beyond the place and condition in which he finds us this day. Many have waited
for General Convention 2009, and this being with the hope that it would bring a
clearer sense of the direction in which the Church is going. Prior to General
Convention I called upon the diocese to share with me in prayers for clarity -
clarity that would prayerfully bring us to a renewed place regarding the
several issues that have wrought division not just on The Episcopal Church, but
the wider Anglican Communion. General Convention is now behind us and many
questions still loom before us.
Some no doubt feel that nothing was accomplished over the vast number of days
spent in
Resolution C056, while
appearing to avoid the development of rites for same gender, calls for “an open
process for consideration of theological and liturgical resources for the
blessing of same gender-relationships.” Further, it states “That the Standing
Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishop,
collect and develop theological and liturgical resources, and report to the
77th General Convention.” Additionally, the fourth resolve states “That
bishops, particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where
same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may
provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this
Church;” and lastly, “That this Convention honor the theological diversity of
this Church in regard to matters of human sexuality.” When read carefully, the
wording of the above resolution very clearly states that not just bishops in
certain civil environments, but all bishops can authorize the blessing of
same-gender unions, but are not required to do such.
The action authorized by this resolution could not be more displacing to the
moratoria of the Communion.
What is being addressed in D025 is the fact that while not stating that it is a
repeal of B033, the resolution of General Convention 2006 that set the
moratoria in place, D025 does state “that gay and lesbian persons who are part
of such relationships have responded to God’s call and have exercised various
ministries in and on behalf of God’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church
and are currently doing so in our midst” and that “General Convention affirm
that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in
The Episcopal Church.” Here again, when carefully read, the content of this resolution
also discharges the intent of the moratoria with regard to the election of a
non-celibate gay or lesbian to the Office of Bishop.
It is important to note that neither of these resolutions, D025 and C056,
addresses specifically Resolution B033 and the related moratoria against the
consent and consecration of a non-celibate person, nor the blessing of
same-gender persons. But rather, through the manner in which they have been put
forth, bring about a dismissal of that provided through B033, and yet, both are
critical to the ongoing development of the Anglican Covenant. [It is important
to note that neither your elected deputation nor I supported the above two
resolutions - C056 or D025.]
Where will this divisive action lead and what is the
Communion saying about The Episcopal Church? The Archbishop of Canterbury has
acknowledged that the Communion is indeed already broken in his reference about
“the broken bridges into the life of other Anglican provinces” as shared above.
The Episcopal Church has sadly demonstrated over and over again a wanton
willingness to allow for a separation within the family, and in this instance,
in opposition to the urging of Archbishop Williams at the outset of General
Convention for those assembled to not carry out further actions that would
divide the Communion beyond where it is today. The reality of this division was
so very evident by the noticeable absence of brothers and sisters who have been
a part of the Councils of the Church in years past, and yet even with their
departure, their lives remain in a state of uncertainty due to the void of
recognition by the Anglican Communion and Archbishop of Canterbury.
While separated from some in the sense of the Church, and this due to the behaviour of portions of The Episcopal Church, we are truly
one in the Spirit of Christ with them, and must endeavour
to live this out in our lives regardless of where we stand. Our love, prayers
and support for one another must be rooted in the language of Paul in his
Letter to the Ephesians this day, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you
to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble
and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to
keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and
one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one
Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all and
through all and in all.” [Ephesians 4:1-6]
Thus, after what appears to be too many years of waiting, as I come before you
this day, I can’t help but present the need for us to not overreact, but
rather, take things one day at a time. The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken
before, and of late of a two-tiered or two-track Communion, and while providing
a sense of hope for some with respect to the Communion and Covenant process,
there still looms before us many questions to be answered, and for that matter,
too many to endeavour to explore in this Pastoral
Letter this day.
All of us will have the opportunity to talk about these issues and other
weighty matters that came about through the action of General Convention as we
share in the Post-General Convention Gatherings in the days ahead. (Information
on this is being furnished with this letter, and sent to all congregations and
clergy.) The things to be discussed are important, for they include legislation
on a mandatory health care program and a mandatory lay pension plan that will
impact congregations across the entire Church to mention just a few.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, I wish there were words that I could offer
today that would put our questions behind us and send us forth with a sense of
peace, but unfortunately there are none. What I can tell you is to repeat what
I have said for the past six years, and this is that we must first and foremost
be about God’s work. The mission of the Church is before us and God’s
expectation of how this is to be lived out is clearly spelled out for us in the
Baptismal Covenant and Catechism.
We have no control over the direction taken by The Episcopal Church, the
mechanism for this has been moving and continues to move in a direction that is
contrary to Scripture, polity and the Constitution and Canons of General
Convention. Yes, the train has left the station and sadly, appears to soon be
fully off the tracks as it relates to the relationship of The Episcopal Church
with the Anglican Communion.
What we do have control over however, is our Lord’s ministry in this portion of
his vineyard, the Diocese of Western Louisiana. We need to continue to be about
the exercise of this work as we have been for the past thirty years (Western
Louisiana was formed in 1979), and as we have particularly for the past six
years. And should we not, shame, shame on us. And what does this look like? We
have, and must continue as the Body of Christ to – “... contend for the faith
that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” [Jude 1:3] Continue in the
teaching and fellowship of the apostles and carry out Christ’s mission to all
people. [BCP p.854]; Proclaim the Gospel with faithfulness as we seek to build
up God’s kingdom in this place; Seek to fulfill the mission of the Church which
is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. [BCP
p.855]; Provide a welcoming place of worship for all of God’s people; Engage in
and support the Covenant process as a diocese and member of the wider Anglican
Communion, in communion with the See of Canterbury.
Where will I, your bishop, be in all of this?
Endeavouring to be ever present in my capacity as
bishop for all of you, and remaining steadfast in guarding the faith, unity,
and discipline of the Church as handed down from the apostles and down through
the ages;
My position with regard to the blessing of same-gender unions remains the same,
they will not be permitted in the Diocese of Western Louisiana;
My position with regard to the consent and consecration of non-celibate
candidates to the episcopate remains unchanged. I will not give my consent;
My commitment to the work of Communion Partner Bishops as we seek to uphold our
place within The Episcopal Church as a constituent member of the Anglican
Communion, in communion with the See of Canterbury.
I know well the answers some were looking for today are not here, but I would
be disingenuous to imply that I know otherwise. For the moment and in the
immediate days ahead, I envision our course of action to be one of following
closely the response of the larger Church and further insight coming from the
Archbishop of Canterbury, and seeking to build on the “Anaheim Statement” that
was developed by a group of us during General Convention and to date signed by
35 bishops of the Church. (This statement can be found on the diocesan web site
and in the issue of ALIVE! published this week.)
As your bishop I remain committed to ministering to the whole of God’s people
in this diocese, and ensuring that we live with faithfulness into our Baptismal
Covenant. To do this, I need your help and prayers and trust you know of my
prayers for each of you. In closing I look to the Gospel of this day, and to
Jesus words in response to the question, “What must we do to do the works God
requires?” “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this:
to believe in the one he has sent.’” and to which he later adds, “I am the
bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in
me will never be thirsty.” [John 6:28-29; and 35]
Let us pray: “O Christ, we share the strengths and the frailties of your first disciples.
We share their devotion to you. We share their weaknesses: we do not fully
trust in your power to heal and to save. Nor do we believe that we share in
these gifts. We find your words cloaked in riddle and parable, your actions
hard to understand. Like Peter, we refuse to believe that rejection, sacrifice,
and death can ever be God’s way. Yet, O Jesus, you love us and continually call
us to your side. Cleanse our hearts of selfishness and fear; give us the love
that bears all things, believes all things, and hopes and endures all things.
Amen.”
Faithfully in the light of Christ,
--(The Rt. Rev.) D. Bruce MacPherson is Bishop of
Western Louisiana