David Virtue's report on Diocese of Albany resolutions

This is basically correct, but there are a few errors that I noticed. My comments will be in bold type.


ALBANY, NY: Diocese Overwhelmingly Passes Heterosexual Marriage Resolution
Second Resolution says All Ordained, Elected and Licensed Clergy Must be Married or Celibate

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
6/7/2008

Clergy and laity in the Diocese of Albany overwhelmingly passed a "Marriage Resolution", affirming that only marriage between a man and a woman may be blessed and enshrined, as canon law for the diocese.

Clergy: 109 For, 19 Against, 2 Abstain
Lay 91 For, 54 Against, 5 Abstain

A second resolution on "Standards for Clergy" stating that all ordained persons must either be married (heterosexual) or celibate was also overwhelmingly passed.

Clergy 110 For, 9 Against, 0 Abstain
Lay 70 For, 20 Against, 4 Abstain

It was a clear victory for the Rt. Rev. William Love, an Evangelical Catholic bishop who opposes the sexual drift in the Episcopal Church.

Several delegates said it was necessary to put the resolution in Canon Law in order to prevent a future General Convention rejecting an orthodox bishop being elected in the diocese because of the necessary two-thirds vote by the HOB. The diocese did not want to be subject to the vagaries of General Convention resolutions.

Fr. Allen Peyton in particular gave a very persuasive argument of the need for the resolution. Placing the current practice and policy of the Diocese into our Canons will protect the Diocese against the day when Bishop Love retires and we face the hurdle of having another orthodox Bishop approved by TEC.

Emotions ran high as delegates debated the issue. The debate was civil. There was no anticipated floor fight. Roberts Rules of Order were enforced. Bishop Love handled the debate with graciousness and civility.

One orthodox priest who voted for the resolution said, "We live in a time and place where there is great confusion in society and where appropriate boundaries are being discarded. The voice of this Diocese must speak with clarity that is consistent with Holy Scripture, and the Councils of the Church. We have been asked by the rest of the Anglican Communion to comply with our brothers and sisters throughout the Communion. This is a clear statement of the sanctity of marriage, of chastity and singleness."

A delegate who voted against the resolution said the diocese should not worry about divisiveness. "The implementation of this policy giving it canonical status sets it in stone by making it canonical. "I have a gay parishioner who will feel pulled away from the table by this resolution. He has been treated so badly by other denominations. He heard we would become Windsor compliant. I am troubled by this resolution."

Another delegate who voted for the resolution said we live in an age that thinks only on the basis of personal happiness. "God's goal is to make us holy. We have a holy God. These two resolutions call us to holiness in our lives and in the life of the church. We must be held up to the highest standards of a holy God."

A priest who spoke against it said he had listened for years to the arguments. "What do you pray for? The argument that Scripture supports this (resolution) is a tenuous one at best. What indeed would Jesus do? Jesus did not come to fulfill the law. To deny others is not the example of Jesus."

For one orthodox priest, the issue was clear cut. The Rev. N. Bradley Jones of Christ Church, Schenectady, and a former homosexual, told the 900 delegates that he was once held "by my passions in the thrall of homosexuality. By the grace of God, I broke free and I have been married for 24 years and have been blessed with 7 children. If I had not abandoned the lifestyle, I would be dead (literally) in my sins. The transforming power of Jesus Christ changed my passions."

Nancy Stewart, a lay delegate, said she had a sister who is a lesbian. "I find it very offensive. I don't believe homosexuality is a sin. Sin is a choice. My sister did not choose to be a lesbian. She had to face what she was. She does not flaunt her sexuality."

For the Rev. Howard Smith, it was a different story. "A year ago (actually, Dcn. Howard stated this was a number of years ago , I believe in his college years.) I was told by a theologian at an Episcopal Seminary to explore my sexuality. When I read through the Bible and saw the prohibitions I was told to read Spong's books. But a year later he (the theologian) made sexual advances towards me and touched me in inappropriate places and made clear his intentions. I rejected him. When we move from God's Word, we open up a can of worms."



Another delegate, who spoke against the resolution, said it had no compassion. "I detest is as hurtful and a distraction of the church. Civil unions will take care of the legal issues."

Another delegate said, "I love my nephew, a gay man. His friend died of AIDS and I did the funeral. It is not about loving people, but loving people enough to tell them the truth. If we lie and bless what God has not blessed we do people a disservice, which goes right into eternity.

"The Diocese of Albany and the canons of the Episcopal Church as they now stand do not bless same sex unions. The HOB has pledged not to bless same sex unions. We need to put on paper where we have always stood. We stand for the will of God in this time and place."

This was Mthr. Ellen Neufeld, a staunchly orthodox priest. (Yeah, I know, some of you out there think no ordained woman can be orthodox)

Another delegate said a whole group of Christians would be marginalized by the passage of this resolution. Do these resolutions respect the dignity of all human beings?

For Harry Hughs (This was Archdeacon Harvey Huth)the issue was clear- cut. "Jesus said we are all like sheep who have gone astray. As a farmer I was a shepherd who raised sheep. Whenever I put them in a new paddock they would circle the paddock looking for a way to break out. Nigerian Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi told us that there was no place on earth that is safe without God. It is not a spoiler or barrier for a fence to be drawn up. It is the gift of a loving God."

Delegate Kathy Clark, who spoke against the resolution, said we must respect the dignity of every human being. "The resolution is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Our Anglican faith rests on a three- legged stool - Scripture, reason and tradition. Scripture can become an idol. We should not take a legalistic approach. We don't for divorce. I believe that a stable life-long non abusive (same-sex) relationship should be accepted."

She claimed to be quoting Richard Hooker. I nearly chewed my deputy's packet at this one. Oh yeah, and there were a few that brought up mixed fiber clothing and shellfish.

The Rev. Paul J. Hartt of St. Peter's in Albany said terrorist acts are tearing us (The Episcopal Church) apart by using local option. "There is no authorization to change the policies of the church on these issues."

Another delegate, speaking for the resolution, said that God does indeed love everybody that is not in dispute. "We are committed to justice and compassion. What is in dispute is living it out. It is how we interpret the Scriptures. Homosexuality is not a first order issue in the economy of salvation. There is a theological breakdown on the basics. We must maintain the Bible is counter- cultural. We are called to be transformed."

A priest, who described himself as a recovering alcoholic, said we are all fallen and broken. "I am an alcoholic. God did not affirm my alcoholism. He saved me and enabled me to live a sober life. My father and grandfather were both alcoholics. It is about transformation. I can't drink. It gives me a freedom in Jesus Christ not to drink. It is about not affirming this (homosexual) behavior."

A parishioner from St. Stephen's said she affirmed the bishop's position on marriage and ordinations and evangelical Christianity, which proscribes homosexuality. "We have drifted in the direction of control and legalism. I have a deep compassion for lesbians and I don't want this not to be a safe place to disagree. Passing this law will kill and will not break forth life."

Speaking in favor of the resolution, another priest said, "Most of our minds are made up. The other side says they are doing it out of love. The solid rock of Christ is what we stand on. We must do this in a constitutional way."

Said another delegate, "I am for this resolution. When I read the bible I don't think we are excluding or pushing anyone away, what we are doing is accepting God's Word. Homosexuality is one sin among many. It's a cross everyone who is a homosexual has to bear. We don't know what NY State laws will allow or what the next bishop will be, but the Church has to follow the Bible."

Guest preacher, Nigerian Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi of the Diocese of Jos, said the Church is alive in Africa because of persecution. "We are seeing old and young people leaving paganism and coming to Jesus Christ. They are suffering together. God is using leaders of missions as a visual aid to the burning of churches and houses...suffering and persecution is what you should expect."

Bishop Love described Nigeria as "alive and one of the fastest growing areas of the Anglican Communion. The church is growing so fast it has split several times, not because of fighting but because of evangelistic growth."

Kwashi said he and his wife Gloria, who were recently persecuted and almost killed in their compound, were flying on a wing and a prayer with all the saints of the church. "We live daily with danger. We have been attacked and robbed and our lives threatened." He said that when he became a bishop 17 years ago there were 85 congregations, which in time grew to 190 with new dioceses constantly forming. Nowhere is safe on earth without God. Talking about Nigeria as being too violent misses the point."

"Following Jesus' example is one of sacrifice. Evangelism is the will of God. Evangelism is the love of God in action to a lost world. There are social consequences and spiritual consequences to sin. There is no substitute for the will of God. Evangelism is costly. It cost Jesus his life. There is no substitute, we must count and bear the cost." Kwashi said some denominational dioceses, churches, and individuals will do anything and everything to remove evangelism from the church.

Touching on the thorny issue of homosexuality, Kwashi said, "We (Nigeria) have homosexuals. We are all sinners. We are one race. As a Christian, I have no reason not to love homosexuals. I cannot not love (them) because I have Jesus." Kwashi said he was a lost teenager in Lagos till someone shared Jesus Christ with him. "Ever since I have been looking for lost kids like me."

Kwashi urged delegates to press on in faith, mission and above all to press on in hope.

END