| Resolution Number: | 1979-A053 |
|---|---|
| Title: | Recommend Guidelines on the Ordination of Homosexuals |
| Legislative Action Taken: | Concurred As Substituted and Amended |
| Final Text: | |
Resolved, That the 66th General Convention receive with gratitude and appreciation the Report and Recommendations of its Standing Commission on Human Affairs and Health with special reference to the requested study of the matter of ordination of homosexual persons; and be it further
Resolved, That this General Convention recommend to Bishops, Pastors, Vestries, Commissions on Ministry and Standing Committees, the following considerations as they continue to exercise their proper canonical functions in the selection and approval of persons for ordination:
- There are many human conditions, some of them in the area of sexuality, which bear upon a person's suitability for ordination;
- Every ordinand is expected to lead a life which is "a wholesome example to all people" (Book of Common Prayer, pp. 517, 532, 544). There should be no barrier to the ordination of qualified persons of either heterosexual or homosexual orientation whose behavior the Church considers wholesome;
- We re-affirm the traditional teaching of the Church on marriage, marital fidelity and sexual chastity as the standard of Christian sexual morality. Candidates for ordination are expected to conform to this standard. Therefore, we believe it is not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual, or any person who is engaged in heterosexual relations outside of marriage.
| Citation: | General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Denver, 1979 (New York: General Convention, 1980), p. C-93. |
|---|
Legislative History
| Author: | The Standing Commission on Human Affairs and Health |
|---|---|
| Originating House: | House of Bishops |
| Originating Committee: | Committee on Ministry |
House of Bishops
On the eighth day, the Bishop of Pittsburgh, Chairman of the Committee on Ministry, moved the adoption of Report #26 (A-53 Substitute).
The motion was seconded by Bishop Gordon.
The Chairman of Dispatch of Business moved that the House go into a Committee of the Whole for discussion on the Resolution before the House for a maximum period of one hour.
The motion was seconded by the Bishop of Albany.
Motion carried
The Chairman of Dispatch of Business moved the House rise from a Committee of the Whole.
The motion was seconded by Bishop Gibson.
Motion to rise carried
Bishop Gross moved to amend the Resolution before the House as follows:
In place of paragraph 2 of the Substitute Resolution, substitute paragraph 3 of A-53. Delete the last sentence of paragraph 3 of the Resolution before the House.
The amendment was seconded by the Bishop of Idaho.
The Bishop of Oklahoma moved that the two sections of the amendment be divided.
The motion was seconded by the Bishop of Western Massachusetts.
Motion to divide carried
After discussion the Bishop Suffragan of Texas moved the previous question.
The motion was seconded by Bishop Millard.
Motion carried
Bishop Gross' motion to substitute paragraph 3 of A-53 for paragraph 2 of the Committee Report was defeated.
Substitution failed
The Bishop of Western Michigan moved a substitute to the amendment that would delete the last sentence of paragraph 3 and moved that all of paragraph 3 be deleted from the Resolution.
The substitute was seconded by the Bishop of Utah.
Substitution failed
The Bishop of Quincy moved to substitute the following as the third paragraph of the original Resolution:
We re-affirm the traditional teaching of the Church on marital fidelity and sexual chastity as the standard of Christian sexual morality. Candidates for ordination are expected to conform to this standard, and it is not appropriate to ordain anyone who does not seek so to conform.
The motion was seconded by Bishop Powell.
Substitution failed
The Bishop of North Carolina moved the previous question.
The motion was seconded by Bishop Millard.
Motion carried
A motion to amend the third paragraph by deleting the last sentence failed by a vote of 83 against to 47 for.
Amendment failed
The Bishop Suffragan of Maryland moved that the word "marriage" be added to the first sentence of paragraph three between the words "on" and "marital."
The motion was seconded by Bishop Richards.
Motion carried
The Bishop of the Central Gulf Coast moved the previous question.
The motion was seconded by the Bishop of Albany.
Motion carried
The Bishop of Utah requested a roll call vote on the Resolution before the House.
Being supported in this by two other Bishops, the Presiding Bishop so ordered.
It is recorded as follows:
Affirmative
| Bishop Voegeli | The Bishop of Alabama | ||||
| Bishop Gooden (Resigned) | The Bishop of Haiti | ||||
| Bishop Sherman | The Bishop of West Missouri | ||||
| Bishop Gibson | The Bishop of Northwest Texas | ||||
| Bishop Powell | The Bishop of Connecticut | ||||
| The Bishop of Fond du Lac | The Bishop of Iowa | ||||
| The Bishop of the Central Gulf Coast | The Bishop of Springfield | ||||
| The Bishop of Arizona | The Bishop of Panama and the Canal Zone | ||||
| Bishop Goddard | The Bishop of Atlanta | ||||
| The Bishop Suffragan for the American Congregations in Europe | The Bishop of Idaho | ||||
| The Bishop of North Carolina | The Bishop of Northern Indiana | ||||
| Bishop Thayer | The Bishop Suffragan of Maryland | ||||
| The Bishop of South Carolina | The Bishop of Guatemala | ||||
| The Bishop of Southeast Florida | The Bishop of West Virginia | ||||
| The Bishop of Tennessee | The Bishop Suffragan of Virginia | ||||
| Bishop Persell | The Bishop of Milwaukee | ||||
| The Bishop of Kentucky | The Bishop of Western North Carolina | ||||
| The Bishop of West Texas | The Bishop of Ouincy | ||||
| The Bishop of North Dakota | The Bishop of Erie | ||||
| The Bishop Suffragan of Oregon | The Bishop of Oregon | ||||
| The Bishop of New Jersey | The Bishop of Albany | ||||
| The Bishop Suffragan of Tennessee | The Bishop of San Diego | ||||
| The Bishop of Central Pennsylvania | The Bishop of Mississippi | ||||
| The Bishop of Virginia | The Bishop of Florida | ||||
| The Executive for Education for Ministry | The Bishop of Southwest Florida | ||||
| The Bishop of Ohio | The Bishop Suffragan of New Jersey | ||||
| The Bishop of Easton | The Bishop of Long Island | ||||
| The Executive for Administration | The Bishop of Missouri | ||||
| The Bishop of Arkansas | The Bishop of Delaware | ||||
| The Bishop of Colorado | The Bishop of the Northern Philippines | ||||
| The Bishop of Pittsburgh | The Bishop Suffragan of Dallas | ||||
| The Bishop of Western New York | The Bishop of Olympia | ||||
| Bishop Gosnell | The Bishop Suffragan of Texas | ||||
| The Bishop of Montana | The Bishop of Louisiana | ||||
| The Bishop of San Joaquin | The Bishop of Southern Virginia | ||||
| The Bishop of East Carolina | The Bishop Coadjutor of Arizona | ||||
| The Bishop of Maryland | The Bishop of Massachusetts | ||||
| Bishop Haynsworth (Resigned) | The Bishop Suffragan of Michigan | ||||
| The Bishop of the Southern Philippines | The Bishop of Nebraska | ||||
| The Bishop of Eau Claire | The Bishop of Oklahoma | ||||
| The Bishop of Georgia | The Bishop of Wyoming | ||||
| The Bishop of New Hampshire | The Bishop Suffragan of Atlanta | ||||
| The Bishop of Central Florida | The Bishop Suffragan to the Armed Forces | ||||
| The Bishop of Lexington | The Bishop of Northern California | ||||
| The Bishop of Dallas | The Bishop of Spokane | ||||
| The Bishop of South Dakota | The Bishop Coadjutor of Southeast Florida | ||||
| The Bishop of Liberia | The Bishop of Southwestern Virginia | ||||
| The Bishop of Western Massachusetts | The Bishop of Colombia | ||||
| The Bishop of Bethlehem | The Bishop Suffragan of West Texas | ||||
| The Bishop of Ecuador | |||||
| Negative | |||||
| Bishop Gordon | The Bishop of Hawaii | ||||
| The National Coordinator for the House of Bishops Committee on Pastoral Development | The Bishop of Maine | ||||
| The Bishop of Pennsylvania | The Bishop of Eastern Oregon | ||||
| Bishop Mosley | The Bishop of Southern Ohio | ||||
| Bishop Corrigan | The Bishop of Washington | ||||
| The Bishop of Western Michigan | The Bishop of Utah | ||||
| The Bishop Suffragan of New York | The Bishop of Michigan | ||||
| The Bishop of Chicago | The Bishop of the Rio Grande | ||||
| Bishop Burgess | The Bishop Suffragan of Massachusetts | ||||
| The Bishop Suffragan of Oklahoma | The Bishop of Nevada | ||||
| The Bishop of New York | The Bishop Suffragan of Chicago | ||||
| The Bishop of Northern Mexico | The Bishop of Vermont | ||||
| The Bishop of Central New York | The Bishop of Alaska | ||||
| The Bishop of California | The Bishop of Northern Michigan | ||||
| The Bishop of Los Angeles | The Bishop of Newark | ||||
| The Bishop of Puerto Rico | The Bishop of Indianapolis | ||||
| The Bishop of Rochester | The Bishop of Minnesota |
The Resolution, as passed, reads as follows:
Whereas, we are conscious of the mystery of human sexuality and how deeply personal matters related to human sexuality are, making it most difficult to arrive at comprehensive and agreed-upon statements in these matters; and
Whereas, we are aware that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the Church must continue to study these matters in relationship to Holy Scripture, Christian faith and tradition, and growing insights; and
Whereas, the 65th General Convention recognized "... that homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church..."; and
Whereas, all the clergy and laity of the Church are expected to render compassionate and understanding pastoral care to one another and to all persons; therefore be it
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 66th General Convention receive with gratitude and appreciation the Report and Recommendations of its Standing Commission on Human Affairs and Health with special reference to the requested study of the matter of ordination of homosexual persons; and be it further
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That this General Convention recommend to Bishops, Pastors, Vestries, Commissions on Ministry and Standing Committees, the following considerations as they continue to exercise their proper canonical functions in the selection and approval of persons for ordination:
- There are many human conditions, some of them in the area of sexuality, which bear upon a person's suitability for ordination;
- Every ordinand is expected to lead a life which is "a wholesome example to all people" ( Book of Common Prayer, pp. 517, 532, 544). There should be no barrier to the ordination of qualified persons of either heterosexual or homosexual orientation whose behavior the Church considers wholesome;
- We re-affirm the traditional teaching of the Church on marriage, marital fidelity and sexual chastity as the standard of Christian sexual morality. Candidates for ordination are expected to conform to this standard. Therefore, we believe it is not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual, or any person who is engaged in heterosexual relations outside of marriage.
The motion carried by a vote of 99 to 34.
Resolution adopted
(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #122.)
House of Deputies
On the eighth day, HB Message #122 on Resolution A-53 (Substitute) was referred to the Committee on Ministry.
On the ninth day, the Chairman of the Committee on Dispatch of Business presented Committee Report #22 as follows:
Your Committee moves the adoption of the following Resolution:
Resolved, That there be set at this time a Special Order of Business for the purpose of hearing and acting on the Report of Committee #16 on Ministry concerning HB Message #122 on the subject of homosexuality, under the provisions of the special rules contained in our Report #21 adopted by the House on September 17, immediately following action on the Consent Calendar this afternoon, September 18, 1979.
In the afternoon session of the ninth day, the Chairman of Dispatch of Business called Special Order #21 and re-stated the conditions for debate on the Committee on Ministry Report #5 dealing with A-53 Substitute Resolution.
The Chair recognized Deputy Birdwell (Northwest Texas) who moved to suspend the Rules to substitute a ten-minute caucus in lieu of item #7 of Special Order #21.
Motion failed
The Committee on Ministry presented its Report #6 on Resolution A-53 (Substitute) and recommended concurrence with House of Bishops Message #122 with amendment as follows:
Proposed Committee Amendment:
Delete the final sentence of the second Resolved, subparagraph 3, being the words: "Therefore, we believe it is not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual, or any person who is engaged in heterosexual relations outside of marriage." The Committee Chairman, Deputy Charles Winters (Tennessee) was given 20 minutes to present the Committee Report:
He commented that 41 members of the Committee deliberated on this Resolution. A majority of the Committee recommended deletion of the third paragraph of the 2nd Resolve. The House of Bishops determined to retain that paragraph, following a joint hearing, in their Message #122. Subsequently, the House Committee voted to delete the final sentence of sub-paragraph 3 of Resolve 2.
Deputy Fitter (Rochester) addressed the House on behalf of the Committee.
Discussion followed.
The Chairman of the Committee on Dispatch of Business reminded the House that, according to the Special Order, the ground rules on debate for this motion provided for 30 minutes total, each speaker limited to two minutes, alternating "pro" and "con".
Deputy Wantland (Oklahoma) moved to amend the Committee Report by restoring the last sentence to sub-paragraph 3 of the last Resolve, so as to read exactly as the Resolution was received from the House of Bishops in their Message #122.
Following debate on the amendment, the time having expired, the Chair called for the vote on the amendment.
Deputy Cummings (Southern Ohio), citing as his authority the Lay Deputations of the Dioceses of Southern Ohio, Newark and California, called for a vote by Orders on the amendment.
The Secretary arranged for a vote by Orders--(ballot #6) on the Wantland amendment.
The results of the vote by Orders (ballot #6) were announced by the Secretary.
| Lay | Yes--71 | No--27 | Divided--13 | Cast--111 | Necessary--56 | |
| Clergy | Yes--60 | No--39 | Divided--13 | Cast--112 | Necessary--57 |
The Wantland amendment carried in both Orders
The deputations of the Dioceses of Atlanta, Idaho, Maine, San Diego, Southern Ohio, Vermont, Western Kansas and Delaware asked that they be polled, with the following results:
| Clergy Deputations | Lay Deputations | |||||
| Atlanta | ||||||
| Collins | Yes | Burr | No | |||
| Johnson | No | Bailey | Yes | |||
| Bartlett | No | Bowens | Yes | |||
| Atkinson | Yes | Hughes | No | |||
| Vote: | Divided in both Orders. | |||||
| Idaho | ||||||
| Allen | Yes | Barsness | No | |||
| Hadley | Yes | Larson | Yes | |||
| Pierce | No | Hosler | No | |||
| Noble | Yes | Cole | No | |||
| Vote: | Clergy--Yes | Lay--No | ||||
| Maine | ||||||
| Scribner | Yes | |||||
| Flag | No | |||||
| Weymouth | No | |||||
| Doak | Yes | |||||
| Vote: | Lay--Divided | |||||
| San Diego | ||||||
| Jarrett | No | Bottoms | Yes | |||
| Lazenby | No | Gore | No | |||
| Lavey | No | Freeman | Yes | |||
| Thebeau | Yes | Bayne | Yes | |||
| Vote: | Clergy--No | Lay--Yes | ||||
| Southern Ohio | ||||||
| Harvey | No | |||||
| McKenzie | No | |||||
| Mote | No | |||||
| Hastings | Yes | |||||
| Vote: | Clergy--No | |||||
| Vermont | ||||||
| Smith | No | Daniel | Yes | |||
| Clayton | No | Gibson | Yes | |||
| Costin | No | Garrett | No | |||
| Brown | No | Park | No | |||
| Vote: | Clergy--No | Lay--Divided | ||||
| Western Kansas | ||||||
| Helmer | No | |||||
| McGlynn | Yes | |||||
| Mould | Yes | |||||
| Page | Yes | |||||
| Vote: | Clergy--Yes | |||||
| Delaware | ||||||
| Howe | Yes | |||||
| Barrett | Yes | |||||
| Edwards | No | |||||
| Peters | Yes | |||||
| Vote: | Clergy--Yes | |||||
Deputy Schley (Southeast Florida) moved to suspend the rules of Special Order to end debate and vote on the Resolution as amended.
| A division was called with the following results: | Yes--312 | No--407 |
Motion defeated
Deputy Kennedy (Hawaii) moved to amend the Resolution by changing the second Whereas to a Resolve.
The Chair ruled this a Substitute which would be accepted for action later.
Deputy Harris (Pennsylvania) moved to amend the second Resolve, sub-section 3 to change "not" to "no longer" [appropriate].
Deputy Hargrove (Louisiana) rose to oppose this amendment.
The previous question was called.
The House voted on the Harris amendment.
Amendment defeated
Deputy Rettger (Minnesota) moved to add a paragraph 4: "This Church affirms the dignity and worth of every human person."
Motion defeated
Deputy Ikard (Rio Grande) moved to suspend the rules and allow only 30 minutes on substitute amendments.
Motion carried
The Chair ruled that this would eliminate the 10-minute rebuttal.
Deputy Kennedy (Hawaii) moved to change the second Whereas to become the second Resolve.
Motion defeated
Deputy Green (Indianapolis) moved to substitute Resolution D-81.
Motion defeated
Deputy Benitez (Texas) moved to suspend the rules and move immediately to voting on the main motion.
Motion carried
Deputy Geyer (Connecticut) moved to postpone action on this matter.
The Chair ruled him out of order as another motion was before the House.
Deputy Fitter (Rochester) moved to table the Resolution.
Motion lost
The question was called on the main motion (Committee on Ministry Report #6 as amended by the House, which the Chair ruled had the effect of recommending concurrence with House of Bishops Message #122.)
The following deputations called for a vote by Orders:
Washington (Clerical)
Central New York (Lay)
Vermont (Clerical)
Deputy Grocer (Western Kansas) asked for a moment of silent prayer before casting of ballots.
The Secretary arranged for a vote by Orders (ballot #7).
The Secretary announced the results of the vote by Orders (ballot #7) to concur with House of Bishops Message #122.
| Lay | Yes--77 | No--18 | Divided--13 | Cast--108 | Necessary--55 |
| Clergy | Yes--70 | No--29 | Divided--11 | Cast--110 | Necessary--56 |
The deputations from California, Rio Grande, and San Diego asked that they be polled with the following results:
| Clergy Deputation | Lay Deputation | |||||
| California | ||||||
| Hunt | No | Adams | Yes | |||
| Moore | No | Cedarblade | No | |||
| Brumbaum | No | Axell | No | |||
| Edwards | No | Dillman | No | |||
| Vote: | Clergy--No | Lay--No | ||||
| Rio Grande | ||||||
| Campbell | Yes | Ikard | Yes | |||
| Thompson | Yes | Holden | Yes | |||
| Haverland | Yes | Neuman | Yes | |||
| Moore | Yes | Barrett | No | |||
| Vote: | Clergy--Yes | Lay--Yes | ||||
| San Diego | ||||||
| Garrett | No | Bottoms | Yes | |||
| Lazenby | No | Goss | Yes | |||
| Lavey | No | Freeman | Yes | |||
| Thebeau | Yes | Payne | Yes | |||
| Vote: | Clergy--No | Lay--Yes | ||||
The House concurred
(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #161)
| Report Reference: | Standing Commission on Human Affairs and Health, Reports to the 66th General Convention, 1979, pp. AA-119-AA-149. |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | The 66th General Convention receives with gratitude the requested study of ordination of homosexual persons. It recommends a three-part statement concerning ordination and sexuality. |