wfn.org | Episcopal convention emphasis on education continues

[Daphne Mack <dmack@dfms.org>]

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Episcopal News Service
James Solheim
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http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens

GC2000-094

Convention emphasis on education continues, scope widens

by Joe Thoma

     (ENS-DENVER) The Episcopal Church continued its tradition of 
placing a premium on education as the 73rd General Convention 
adopted nearly 20 resolutions that promote learning. Much of the 
instruction called for should help address the church's social-
justice concerns.

Anti-racism goal pushed

     Adopting legislation that calls for anti-racism training on 
the diocesan level will increase church workers' sensitivity to 
one of America's most persistent ills, said bishops and deputies 
who pushed the resolution (B049). Although many dioceses and 
church groups already understand the need to address racism, 
educational programs are irregular and sometimes fail to reach 
those who most need the training, said Bishop Chester Talton (Los 
Angeles). That diocese's anti-racism efforts have tended to 
attract people who are already committed to a "culture of 
diversity," but other members of the diocese might not share that 
commitment, Talton said.

     The new rule sets September 1 as the starting date for the 
training; authorizes the Executive Council and the church's 
provinces and dioceses to select "appropriate programs" for the 
training; and directs the provinces, dioceses, and each national 
committee, commission, agency and board to maintain a register of 
trainers and people who have undergone the antiracism training. 

     Bishop Calvin Schofield of Southeast Florida said he favors 
the training as well as the requirement that it be documented. In 
South Florida, anti-racism training has been productive, and 
record keeping has helped his churches and other dioceses find 
resources, including qualified trainers, he said.

Native American Institute bolstered

     The convention also expressed support for theological 
education for Native Americans throughout North America by 
funding the Alaska-based Indigenous Theological Training 
Institute (ITTI). The $375,000 funding will help bring ITTI 
programs to more dioceses that have Native American populations

     Theological education for indigenous people has been less 
than successful, Bishop Mark MacDonald (Alaska) said in 
presenting the resolution. General Convention in the 1960s 
declared the lack of ordained Native American ministers "a 
crisis," and the number of native people ordained has declined 
steadily since then, Macdonald told the bishops. 

     Local training programs often lack the funding and support 
they need, and most national programs are inaccessible, he said. 
Aspirants and seekers can spend decades pursuing a patchwork of 
courses and barely related programs, he said. 

     A traditional brick-and-mortar school isn't the answer, he 
said. An indigenous training institute must be sustainable, and 
needs to draw on far-flung strategic partnerships with other 
dioceses. "We wanted something that could be operated out of a 
laptop," MacDonald said.

     The Episcopal Council of Indian Ministries started the ITTI 
in 1996 to provide culturally sensitive leadership training for 
laity and clergy. Its first board of trustees included Bishop 
Steven Charleston, now dean of Episcopal Divinity School, who 
proposed the increased funding. "ITTI's effect on Native American 
communities is enormous," Charleston said. Bishop Charles Duvall 
(Central Gulf Coast) also spoke in favor of the funding, saying 
that his diocese has started some of the ITTI's programs. 

     The ITTI also hopes to provide greater advocacy for raising 
up indigenous people from places where they have a small presence 
and might suffer from "cultural misunderstanding," MacDonald 
said. 

Black college funding boosted

     Resolution C038 called for an increase in church funding for 
St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, N.C., St. Paul's College in 
Lawrenceville, Va., and Voorhees College in Denmark, S.C. The 
funding would increase to $1.2 million from $950,000 for each 
year of the 2001-2003 triennium.

     Bishop Frank Turner (Pennsylvania) said he was "delighted" 
with the funding for the three black colleges. Another resolution 
(D002) would have funded a program at St. Paul's and Voorhees 
that helps single mothers pursue bachelor's degrees full time. 
Resolution D002 had asked for $450,000 for the program, called 
Project SMARTS, for Single Mothers Achieving Re-education & 
Training for Self-sufficiency.  That specific funding wasn't 
approved, but the convention instead increased the funding for 
Resolution C038 by $450,000, to $4.05 million from the $3.6 
million requested. 

Death and dying texts supported

     The Committee on Education's End-of-Life Task Force and its 
publication, Faithful Living, Faithful Dying: Anglican 
Perspectives on Care at the End-of-Life, garnered praise with the 
convention's adoption of Resolution A077. That legislation calls 
on the church to urge every diocese, congregation, seminary and 
clergy to study the theological and ethical issues that arise 
near the end of life, and recommends that study programs consider 
using Faithful Living, Faithful Dying for that purpose.

     Church groups and individuals also should make themselves 
aware of issues surrounding the death penalty, according to 
Resolution A083. That resolution continues the Episcopal Church's 
opposition to the death penalty, and urges parishes and dioceses 
to study capital punishment as well as the reasoning for the 
church's stance. 

     The resolution says the death penalty is unequally applied 
to minorities, the poor and those who can't afford adequate legal 
representation. It also condemns the death penalty for 
contributing to continued violence and for violating Christians' 
baptismal covenant.

School vouchers opposed

     Although many dioceses include private Episcopal schools, 
the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies voted to oppose 
private school vouchers in Resolution B036. Vouchers allow 
parents who wish to send their children to private schools to get 
full or partial refunds on money they have already paid in public 
school taxes.

     Proponents of the vouchers said they help lower-income 
families acquire quality education for their children while 
giving under-performing public schools an incentive to improve. 
Opponents argued, however, that vouchers waste public money and 
drain the brightest students from hurting schools.

     Vouchers contribute to "white flight from inner cities," 
said Bishop Herbert Thompson Jr. (Southern Ohio). Instead, he 
said, the church should "call our people back to the cities." 
Bishop Frederick Putnam (Minnesota) said school vouchers harm 
public education by contributing to lower teacher salaries, 
"instead of getting teachers into where they're needed."

     Bishop Edward Salmon (South Carolina) also supported the 
resolution, but pointed out an irony in its spirit: "Many of our 
churches have private schools." Bishop William Wantland (Eau 
Claire) supported the resolution, but said vouchers "could be a 
wake-up call" for public education.

HIV/AIDS prevention, Third World education 

     Sex and money also became educational issues at the 73rd 
General Convention.

     Resolution A050 calls for continued AIDS prevention 
education in the Episcopal Church. It will provide further 
provincial training in the use of materials developed 
collaboratively by the appropriate bodies of this church for the 
prevention of AIDS among teens. It also states that the ministry 
of prevention should be expanded to young adults through 
development or adaptation of existing resources, to include 
emphasis on abstinence as well as on proven harm and risk 
reduction strategies.

     Resolution A001 urges that "all dioceses accept the 
challenge affirmed in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution to fund 
international development programs, recognized by Provinces 
[Anglican], at a level of at least 0.7% of annual total diocesan 
income." The resolution directs dioceses to cooperate with other 
people of faith in programs of education and advocacy to help 
raise public awareness of vital economic issues impacting the 
poor.

Other legislation:

     *calls on dioceses to continue work on standards for 
continuing education for all clergy and lay professionals, and to 
submit plans to the Standing Commission on Ministry Development 
(A074);

          *requests the Young People's Ministry Cluster to 
develop and disseminate a curriculum for all age groups that will 
provide congregations with content consonant with the vision and 
goals found in the document "called to Teach and Learn" (B015);

          *urges every congregation to offer programs of Bible 
Study for adults and youth (D057);

          *adopts the "National Council of Churches Policy 
Statement on Disabilities, the Body of Christ, and the Wholeness 
of Society" and urges every diocese to study this document and to 
implement it (C030);

          *authorizes the Executive Council's Working Group on 
Science, Technology and Faith to develop study materials that 
examine "critical issues in the dialogue about science and 
technology within the framework of Christian theology and ethics" 
(D011a);

          *affirms the tradition of funding seminaries by the 
one-percent support formula. (D014).

--Joe Thoma is director of communications for the Diocese of 
Central Florida.