wfn.org | ACNS3519 Presiding Bishop of ECUSA writes to the Primates of

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3519     |     USA     |	  22 JULY 2003 

Presiding Bishop of ECUSA writes to the Primates of the Anglican
Communion

[ACNS source: Episcopal News Service] 

My dear brothers in Christ,

I write you on the eve of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church
in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to let you know some of what is on my mind
and heart during these days of prayer and preparation. 

I am aware that earlier this month a letter was sent to "concerned
primates" from a number of bishops of the Episcopal Church, USA
outlining what they called a "deteriorating situation within the
Episcopal Church and elsewhere." They particularly pointed to two
matters that will be before our General Convention: one pertaining to
the confirmation of the bishop-elect of the Diocese of New Hampshire and
the other dealing with the authorization of the development of rites for
the blessing of same sex unions which would then be brought to the
General Convention of 2006 for debate. 

The polity of our church places the election of a bishop and the
nomination process which precedes it entirely in the hands of the
electing diocese. The election then must be confirmed by a majority of
the diocesan standing committees (made up of clergy and laity) and by
bishops with jurisdiction, each voting separately. When an election
occurs within 120 days of a General Convention, the General Convention
becomes the consenting body. Each bishop-elect must first gain the
consent of a majority of the dioceses in the House of Deputies, which is
comprised of elected clergy and lay members from each diocese. Next,
ballots will be received from bishops with jurisdiction and the
bishop-elect must receive a majority of those votes, as well. 

At this General Convention ten dioceses will present bishops-elect for
consent. The Diocese of New Hampshire and their bishop-elect are the
focus of attention, not because of the competency and gifts of the Revd
Canon V Gene Robinson, or because he was elected overwhelmingly by the
clergy and laity of a diocese in which he has served for 28 years, but
because he shares his life with a partner of the same sex. As Presiding
Bishop and chief pastor, my concern, as I said in a letter to our
bishops, is "how we move with grace through this time." I am including a
copy of this letter for your information. 

This election, though profoundly disturbing to a number of
Episcopalians, is not surprising given that increasingly in our part of
the world there is an acknowledgment that some men and women find that
their deepest affections are ordered to members of the same sex. Our
church has a number of lay persons and clergy for whom this is true.
Some have chosen the path of celibacy and others live within the context
of a sustained relationship. In this latter case we are not talking
primarily about sexual behaviour which in both its heterosexual and
homosexual manifestations can be profoundly sinful and little more than
the compulsive pattern of lust so soundly condemned by St Paul . What we
are talking about is the core of the personal identity of men and women
who share with us in the risen life of Christ. 

I, perhaps more than anyone else, realize how very problematic this
election is for some of you, as well as for some members of my own
church, including the bishops who wrote to you. I am also aware of the
efforts that have been made to draw you into this impending debate.
Because we are members one of another in the body of Christ through
baptism and are called to share each other's burdens, your concern is
appropriate and welcome. And may I say that I am always grateful when
one of you contacts me directly to express your concerns. 

Over these last five years I have continually reminded our church that
we are part of a larger reality called the Anglican Communion, and that
what we do locally has ramifications both positive and negative in other
parts of the world. At the same time I am mindful that each of us has to
interpret the gospel in our own context and within the particular
reality of our own Province; there is no such thing as a neutral reading
of Scripture. While we all accept the authority of Scripture, we
interpret various passages in different ways. 

I believe that the report of the House of Bishops Theology Committee,
which was shared with you, can be helpful here. In a section entitled
Living In Disagreement it states: "Our present conclusion is that
equally sincere Christians, equally committed to an orthodox
understanding of the Faith we share, equally looking to Scripture for
guidance on this issue, are deeply divided regarding questions with
respect to homosexuality. It will be crucial for all parties in this
debate to ask God's blessing on their ever-deepening conversion in
Christ, and to pray for God's love and forgiveness to be granted to all.
Faithfulness and the courage to offer love and acceptance to those with
whom we disagree is the great need of the moment." 

As Professor David Ford told us several years ago during one of our
primates meetings, we are in the process of becoming a communion. I have
reflected often upon his words and come to see more and more that
communion is not a human construction but a gift from God. Communion
involves not only our relationships to one another on earth but our
being drawn by the Holy Spirit into the eternal life of communion which
belongs to the Holy Trinity. Communion on this earth is always in some
way impaired, both because of our limited understanding of God's ways
and our own human sinfulness. Because we have been baptized into one
body through the death and resurrection of Christ, we cannot say to one
another "I have no need of you." (1 Corinthians 12:21) This means that
maintaining communion is a sacred obligation. It is not easy and
involves patience with one another, ongoing conversion, and a genuine
desire to understand the different ways in which we seek to be faithful
to the gospel. Declarations of being "in" or "out" of communion with one
another may assuage our anger or our fear, but they can do little to
show our broken and divided world that at the heart of the gospel is to
be found a reconciling love that can embrace our passionately held
opinions and transcend them all. 

Please know how deeply I value each one of you as fellow pilgrims on a
continuing journey into the ever unfolding truth of Christ. Grounded in
Scripture, the historic creeds, the councils of the church and the
sacraments of the new covenant, it is my prayer and deepest hope that
our General Convention will reflect the mind of Christ such that our
church can be an authentic sign of God's reconciling love. 

Yours sincerely in Christ's love, 

The Most Revd Frank T Griswold 

Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church, USA 

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