wfn.org | [ENS] Griswold meets with bishops about General Convention reactions

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

09/15/03

Griswold meets with bishops about General Convention reactions

by Jan Nunley

[ENS] A group of 10 Episcopal bishops from across the spectrum of views
on human sexuality met with Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold in New
York September 10-11 to discuss local reaction to General Convention's
decisions about the election of an openly gay bishop and the blessing of
same-gender relationships.

The meeting was an attempt to explore what Griswold called "the very
deep question of how we can live with disagreement, given our very
divergent points of view around the issues of sexuality." In his letter
of invitation, sent August 25, Griswold asked the bishops to "address
together how we might we find in our current circumstances a deeper
invitation to reconciliation."

The bishops issued a brief statement following the meeting:

"The Presiding Bishop called together ten of your fellow bishops to be
in a conversation about General Convention and, more particularly, about
issues resulting from the consent to the election of the Bishop
Coadjutor of New Hampshire and resolution C-051 [concerning a rite for
blessing same-gender unions]. Our dialogue was candid, honest and
respectful as we considered the seriousness of those decisions that were
reached and the possible consequences of them for the continued faithful
unity of the Church.  We found the discussion to be helpful to each of
us personally, and we hope it is helpful to the Presiding Bishop in his
continuing leadership and ministry."

The statement was signed by Bishops Keith Ackerman of Quincy, Edwin
Gulick of Kentucky, John Howe of Central Florida, Robert Ihloff of
Maryland, Don Johnson of West Tennessee, John Lipscomb of Southwest
Florida, Edward Little of Northern Indiana, Stacy Sauls of Lexington,
Mark Sisk of New York, and Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island.

In a September 12 letter to members of the House of Bishops, Griswold
indicated, as he has in the past, the discomfort he and other bishops
have felt at submitting decisions about matters related to human
sexuality to a legislative process. "Regardless of our points of view,
all of us recognized the polarization that was caused by our having to
make an either/or decision with no possibility of any other mode of
response," Griswold wrote. "This has clearly caused pain, confusion and
disbelief in many parts of the church, and a sense of rightness in other
parts."

Griswold continued, "Our meeting was very helpful to me in thinking
about how we can assist our church in living through this time in
faithfulness... I left the meeting extremely grateful for the candor and
grace of the participants, their deep care and affection for one
another, and their commitment to the wellbeing of their dioceses, and
our church.  It is my sense that their spirit is representative of us
all."

The bishops also decided more such gatherings are needed in anticipation
of the spring meeting of the full House of Bishops.

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