Church of England Responds to the Sexual Abuse Hearings
Three weeks of testimony (see Update
here) on the ways the Church of England failed to take appropriate action against sexual abusers has led to a number of comments. It also led the Archibshops of Canterbury and York
to issue a pastoral letter which was read in parishes on Sunday. The blog, Thinking Anglicans has compiled a
number of the responses to the hearings and to the joint pastoral letter issued by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. The full pastoral letter may be found
here.
Diocese of Los Angeles and St. James on Long Path to Reconciliation
Update
reported recently on the hearings held about St. James the Greater in Newport Beach. This week the
Living Church has a story on the hearings, but also on the long process now beginning of reconciliation for the whole diocese. The two-year struggle of St. James to regain its property that resulted in suspension for a set time of retired Bishop Bruno left many throughout the diocese in need of healing.
Episcopalians participate in March For Our Lives
Episcopalians participated in the marches around the country organized by students to protest Gun Violence. As the
Update has reported, Episcopalians have been protesting gun violence for quite a while. In a number of locations, church members and clergy marched as identifiable groups with banners. In many places bishops marched in clothes designed to visually make the point that the church was there. The
Religion News article quotes people from a number of different denominations, including the Episcopal Church. The
Episcopal Cafe article focused on Episcopal groups and was collecting images from the marches where activities were supported by the diocese. An
earlier Cafe article listed dioceses that were planning to participate as a group. While Episcopalians were at the march in Pittsburgh, there was no visible Episcopal church presence.
Sewanee Trustees Rescind Honorary Degree
The Regents of the University of the South proved that they could change their minds and follow advice given to them by faculty and students. Last Tuesday the
Regents voted to rescind the honorary degree they had awarded journalist Charlie Rose in 2016. They also approved a policy and procedure for reconsidering a degree after it has been awarded. Recently accusations of sexual harassment had
led a number of people to press for the recision. Initially the Trustees had resisted the pressure, but detailed letters from both the School of Theology faculty and students , and an internal discernment process resulted in the decision to revoke the award. Update had been following the controversy. The latest previous post is
here.
Conservative Diocese Votes to Support Local Option Same-Sex Marriage.
New Zealand has been struggling to find a way to allow blessing of
same-sex marriages while also embracing those who oppose it.. A special
task force has issued its report in anticipation of discussion at their
national synod meeting. The report argued that the church should allow local
option and affirmed the Church should hold multiple teachings. Update
reported recently on the vote by the Diocese of Christchurch to support the report. Now, the most conservative diocese in New Zealand
has voted to do the same. That diocese also voted that the diocese would not be blessing same sex marriages. At least one of the more conservative news sources has cast the "two teachings" vote as a referendum on staying in the Anglican Church of New Zealand.
General Convention Gets Recommendations on Rules for Dealing with Substance Abuse
The special committee charged with bringing recommendations to General Convention on the treatment of substance abusers, especially those who are clergy
has issued its report. The report notes that the Episcopal Church has in place procedures that encourage people to overlook the issue. A Baltimore publication
has interpreted the report to mean that the church is in denial. The special committee was crated following the trial of the then suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Maryland for the killing of a bicyclist while driving under the influence. The bishop, Heather Cook,
resigned and was deposed. She recently
was denied parole.
Anglican Communion Conversations Continue
The special task force created by the Archbishop of Canterbury to develop a way for all the Anglican provinces to work together despite divisions over issues related to LGBT people and same-sex marriage
has met for a second time. The
task force is hoping to structure a way to reconciliation at the Lambeth meeting in 2020.