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A Pastoral Letter July 29, 2003 The
Reverend Donald D. Binder, PhD Since the Spring of this year, we have been publicizing various events, websites and email addresses connected with the 74th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, to be held in Minneapolis July 30 - August 8. As most of you know, the General Convention is the main legislative body of the Episcopal Church. Consisting of the House of Deputies, with four clergy and four lay representatives from each of the 110 Dioceses, and the House of Bishops, with these Dioceses' corresponding bishops, it meets every three years to consider various resolutions affecting the life and worship of our denomination. The vast majority of these resolutions—which individually must be approved by separate majorities of the two Houses to be enacted—are non-controversial and often set in motion processes and programs that further enrich our common life in Christ. Over the past decade, however, a series of resolutions on Human Sexuality has drawn an increasing amount of attention from both General Convention and the secular press. More specifically, these resolutions have proposed changing the Church's traditional teaching with respect to the moral status of homosexual behavior, especially as it relates to the ordination of practicing homosexuals and to the blessing of same-sex relationships. Earlier this year, it seemed as though this triennial debate would be put on hold, as a Theology Committee assigned to study the question recommended to the House of Bishops that General Convention refrain from taking steps towards developing a liturgy for same-sex blessings, since there was nowhere near a consensus on the matter, at least within our branch of the Anglican Communion. Moreover, in May the Primates of the Anglican Provinces from around the world (including our own Presiding Bishop), meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, issued a Pastoral Letter stating that they as a body could not support the authorization of such rites. Within a month, however, the Diocese of New Hampshire elected The Rev. Canon V. Gene Robinson to be their new bishop coadjutor (bishop with the right of succession as diocesan bishop). The election was reported nationally because Canon Robinson was the first openly gay man in the Episcopal Church to be chosen for this office. Presently, he is living in a 13-year-long relationship with his partner Mark Andrew, a relationship that began sometime after Canon Robinson had divorced his wife of many years (they have two children from the previous marriage). Normally after episcopal elections, consents must be registered by a majority of Diocesan Bishops and Standing Committees for the election to be confirmed. If an election takes place within 120 days of a General Convention, however, the House of Deputies takes the place of the Standing Committees. The effect of the New Hampshire election, therefore, has been to suddenly thrust the entire issue of homosexuality back to the forefront of General Convention, not only with respect to the confirmation ballots, but with regard to a resolution recently put forth by the Diocese of California (Resolution C005) that resurrects the notion of developing rites for the blessing of same-sex relationships. I am writing to you now because, if either the consent or the resolution is ratified, the news will almost certainly be sensationalized in the press. Moreover, recent coverage has led several of you to ask about "our" position at Pohick Church on these issues. Although there may be differences of opinion within our congregation, speaking as the Spiritual Leader of Pohick Church, as well as someone who studies and teaches Scripture and who, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, attempts to live his life by it, I can only concur with Lambeth Resolution 1.10, overwhelmingly adopted in 1998 by Anglican Bishops in the worldwide Communion, that in view of Scripture our Church "upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage." At the same time, that resolution recognizes that those with homosexual orientations "are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God's transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationship." It therefore calls upon all Anglicans "to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation." While I would therefore hope that the General Convention would act in accordance with the theological position clearly expressed in this, the most recent statement of the historic faith, I would also hope that, whatever the outcome, we maintain a sense of perspective about this all. Over the centuries the Church has had many theological disputes, not a few of them about more central Christian tenets than the issue presently before us (e.g., the disputes over the divinity of Christ, leading to the adoption of the Nicene Creed). Throughout these debates, I believe that it was the great mass of Christians who persevered in their day-to-day living out of the Gospel that most advanced the work of the Holy Spirit. Likewise at Pohick, whatever the outcome of the votes, we will continue our work of spreading the Gospel and seeking to deepen our own faith in Christ, just as we have been called to do, while at the same time holding fast to the traditions that we have received through the revelation of Christ manifested in Scripture (2 Thess 2:15). By maintaining this sense of proportionality, I think, we can not only avoid getting sidetracked from our central mission, but also uphold the faith we have received through our exercise of that very mission. Because the issue of homosexuality and the Bible has become very complex in recent years, for those interested in further study, below I have added links to two articles I wrote in the summer of 2000, when the 73rd General Convention last considered this matter. The first is an overview of that Convention's outcome, while the second is a critique of an essay written on the topic by Dr. William Countryman (a link to which is also included). In addition, I have furnished links to General Convention documents and news outlets, as well as the email link to our Deputation from the Diocese of Virginia, should you wish to express your views on these and other matters. As always, Jane and I are available to answer any questions or concerns you might have, either via email (, jpiver@pohick.org), by phone, or in person. Finally, I join with Bishop Lee in asking your prayers for General Convention in the coming days:
Faithfully, The Reverend Donald D. Binder,
PhD Links On the 73rd General Convention in 2000
On the 74th General Convention in 2003
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