"CONFRONTING SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH"

In an essay at the Daily Episcopalian, Ann Fontaine addresses the recent history of child abuse in the Episcopal Church and the policies which have been put in place to prevent further abuse and to address current allegations of abuse.

General Convention began to act. In 1985, a resolution passed to request Dioceses to conduct workshops on recognizing child sexual abuse. In 1991, a Committee on Sexual Exploitation was established. During this period several women clergy and some attorneys who had been providing legal counsel for abuse victims/survivors developed training for Bishops and other leaders to teach the church about the issue and how to deal with perpetrators and victims/survivors. It was clear that TEC did not have canons or procedures to guide this work, so several of us proposed a resolution for the next General Convention.

The bishops did not think the time was right for this action but we pressed ahead. The women of the Episcopal Church – Episcopal Women’s Caucus, Episcopal Church Women, Daughters of the King, and others mobilized to lobby both Houses and to talk their bishops about the importance of immediate action by the church. Abuse victims/survivors came to testify, often the first time they had told their stories in public. 1997 saw a number of resolutions including the revision of Title IV (disciplinary canons) passed. (The history of resolutions is here.) The Bishop’s Pastoral Office led by the Rt. Rev. Harold (Hoppy) Hopkins was a key supporter of funding, education, developing training and facing the issues of abuses and exploitation.

How refreshing to read that the influence of the women's groups in TEC sped along the process of getting workable resolutions passed. Rome, are you listening?

Ann's entire essay is well worth a read.

VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS OVER PROPERTY DISPUTE BETWEEN TEC AND CANA

John Chilton was in the courtroom today when the Virginia Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the dispute over property between the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and CANA over church property. Read his account at The Lead.

The Loudoun Times reports on the day in court with brief commentary from both sides in the dispute.

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH WELCOMES YOU

 

From Fr Randall Balmer at Religious Dispatches:

I have no authority whatsoever to speak for my Church, nor would I presume to do so. But as an Episcopal priest, I call on my ecclesiastical superiors to make a special overture to Roman Catholics who are disgruntled by the pedophilia scandals in the Catholic Church; scandals that increasingly point to the complicity of the man in charge of the Vatican, Benedict XVI.

My reference here, of course, is to the declaration last fall by the very same Benedict seeking to lure conservative Anglicans and Episcopalians to the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican sensed an opening, especially with those Episcopalians (and former Episcopalians) who were still fuming over the consecration of V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, as bishop of New Hampshire, the refusal of the Episcopal Church to foreswear same-sex marriages, and the ordination of gays and lesbians and even (still!) the ordination of women.
....

Last October, the Vatican offered disgruntled Anglicans and Episcopalians the opportunity to bring their music and liturgy with them to Rome. I’m not sure what we can offer disaffected Roman Catholics—except for the honesty and the integrity of facing difficult issues and asking vexing questions, such as sexual identity in relation to the New Testament mandate of love. Not everyone will agree with the answers we choose, but I’m proud to be associated with a Church willing to address those questions.

And for anyone ready to swim the Tiber in the other direction, you’re welcome in my parish anytime.

I'm proud to be associated with the Episcopal Church, too. All are welcome in my church, St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux, LA. Not a few in my congregation, including me, are former Roman Catholics.

I am speaking only to those who have already determined to depart. If you wish to remain in the Roman Catholic Church to fight the good fight, then I urge you to stay where you are, and I give you my blessing.

Note: I do not speak for my church on my blog. The opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.

Further GC09 News

From The Lead:

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church has passed a resolution on same-sex blessings. The House of Bishops approved the legislation by a margin of more than 3-1 yesterday. tin of more than 3-1 yesterday. The House of Deputies passed the legislation by a slightly smaller margin today.

The lay order voted in favor of Resolution C056 by 78-23 with seven divided deputations. The clergy passed the legislation 74-27-7.


Thurgood Marshall has now been added to the Episcopal Church calendar.

UPDATE: Press release from Integrity:

It is a great day for the church and a greater day for the witness to God’s inclusive love.

"While Integrity’s advocacy work is not yet done," said Integrity President Susan Russell, "the actions here in Anaheim liberate us to get on with our evangelism work--proclaiming the good news of an Episcopal Church that welcomes not only LGBT people looking for a spiritual home but ALL those seeking a faith community that shares their core values of justice, compassion, inclusion, and love."

"We celebrate this historic movement forward and we commit ourselves to this church we love and serve to continue to witness to the good news of Christ Jesus present in our lives, our vocations, and our relationships. We call others to 'come and see' what we have found and seen and experienced in the Episcopal Church."