wfn.org | Episcopalians: Conversation partners 'agree to disagree' on human sexuality

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

July 25, 2002

2002-183

Episcopalians: Conversation partners 'agree to disagree' on 
human sexuality

by Jan Nunley

(ENS) Those hoping for a final word--pro or con--on the Anglican 
view of homosexual behavior from the three-year-long 
International Anglican Conversations on Human Sexuality are 
going to have to wait. The final report, issued this month, 
indicates strengthened relationships between the participants, 
but no consensus on the morality of homosexuality.

"It will no doubt disappoint the vast majority of Anglicans 
who believe the practise of homosexuality to be inherently 
wrong," commented Archbishop of Canterbury George L. Carey in a 
commendation appended to the report. "It will no doubt 
disappoint homosexuals in the Communion who continue to feel 
marginalised, misunderstood and maligned, and those who with 
them argue for a change of belief and of policy," he wrote.

"However, the Working Party was not set up with the intention 
necessarily of resolving the disagreements among us; but to 
deepen the dialogue and to find ways of bringing theology, 
experience and pastoral care together," Carey said.

Moving the Communion forward

The international conversation was convened in 1999, following 
the 1998 Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops, to "help move 
the whole Communion forward from the Lambeth resolution" on 
human sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular. 
Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold was asked to chair the group of 
12 bishops and primates, which made four-day retreats annually 
over the next three years.

"Honoring one another by refusing to impute ill motives and 
by valuing the opinions of those with whom we disagreed, we 
became a kind of laboratory in which to grapple with our topic," 
Griswold wrote in a foreword to the final report. "The ensuing 
conversations were challenging, moving, and always honest, 
direct and conducted with charity and mutual respect."

The consultation included Bishops Simon Chiwanga of Mpwapwa; 
Terence Finlay of Toronto; Roger Herft of Newcastle; Josiah 
Idowu-Fearon of Kaduna; Chilton Knudsen of Maine; John Lipscomb 
of Southwest Florida; and Michael Scott-Joynt of Winchester. 
Primates in the group included Griswold of ECUSA; Peter Kwong, 
archbishop of Hong Kong; Glauco Soares de Lima, Primate of 
Brazil; Peter Watson, archbishop of Melbourne; and Rowan 
Williams, archbishop of Wales. 

Face-to-face conversations

"We do not underestimate the gravity for the Communion of the 
challenge on the part of some to change our traditional teaching 
regarding human sexuality," the final report stated. "During our 
conversations we have noted the fear of some within our 
Communion that any departure from the received teaching might in 
time become mandatory, and therefore compromise the conscience 
of many."

But the report also noted the shortcomings of present methods 
of dealing with the controversy, such as the 1998 Lambeth 
Conference resolution on sexuality. "As we have reflected on the 
Lambeth Conference of 1998 we have come to believe that the 
'legislative' process is often an inadequate way to discern the 
mind of Christ in some of the sensitive issues that face us as 
we continue to grow as a Communion of churches," the report 
stated.

The report stressed the importance of "face-to-face 
conversation across provincial lines" rather than relying on 
information culled from such sources as e-mail lists and Web 
sites. "We regret that we have often participated in and 
responded to half-truths about others. .. Our experience has 
reaffirmed our conviction regarding the importance of 
face-to-face communication. No amount of e-mail can take the 
place of it," the report said.

Behavior, not people

According to the report, over three years the participants came 
to agree  that the Bible was "foundational" to their work. They 
concurred that "homosexual behavior, not  homosexual people," 
is at issue, that homosexuality is "a much more varied 
phenomenon" than usually assumed and that scientific research 
about its origins does not relieve Christians of "the 
responsibility of making theological and ethical judgments" 
about homosexuality. They acknowledged that failures to 
strengthen heterosexual marriage "weaken our ability to speak 
with credibility" to homosexuals, and affirmed that other 
expressions of sexuality "beginning with promiscuity and every 
kind of abusive sexual behavior" are "plainly contrary to the 
Christian way."

Still, they said, continued controversy over homosexuality is 
"a burden and a distraction" other high priority issues for the 
Anglican Communion. "For it to be further divided by the issue 
of homosexual behavior would be the ultimate sexualization of 
the Church, making sexuality more powerful, or more claiming of 
our attention, than God," the report said. In addition, because 
"the role and authority of the bishop and understandings of 
collegiality differ from province to province there is an 
increased potential for misunderstandings" about the ability of 
primates and bishops to respond to differing understandings of 
homosexuality within and between provinces.

The group "agreed to disagree" on other points. They "were not 
able to reach a common mind regarding a single pattern of holy 
living" for homosexuals, nor to concur on the relative authority 
of the Bible, tradition, reason and experience for decisions 
regarding homosexuality.

Interpretive charity

On a positive note, the group reported that "relationships 
between us have been strengthened and deepened" and the 
conversations "strengthened and clarified our differing 
convictions, not diluted them." Most helpful to that process was 
a series of prior "covenants" governing the conversation 
process, including the principle of "interpretive charity," and 
the "grounding" of the meetings in worship and Bible study.

Further exploration is needed, the report said, in several 
areas, including the question of whether Christian holiness 
excludes or includes homosexual behavior within committed 
relationships, and of what constitutes "loving and responsible 
pastoral care" of homosexuals.

The group recommended "ongoing structured conversations" 
regarding sexuality in each province, and group visitations of 
bishops between provinces. They requested that those proposing 
"changes to the Church's traditional teaching" on sexuality or 
other issues "take account of both ecumenical and inter-faith 
implications, and the impact upon other Provinces of our 
Communion."

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--The Rev. Jan Nunley is deputy director of Episcopal News 
Service.