Thoughts on D025

I remember a professor in college making a presentation about conflict. He asserted that the most difficult conflicts are marked by the collision of two goods. He used abortion as an example. Life is good. We view it as valuable and sacred, especially those we love. On the other side, we view freedom as valuable and sacred as well. Freedom grants the human being a certain dignity beyond that of other creatures.

This bind via the collision of two goods has never really quite left my thoughts. So often, we seek to reduce positions and choices to right or wrong, good or evil, sacred or profane. Some aspects of life certainly shake out into well-defined categories, but many are marked elements that are more complex.

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church is confronting issues that, to my mind, are of the more complex variety. I do not believe we are talking about choices between good or evil. We are wrestling with what it means to be faithful.

Some argue that adherence to a particular understanding of revealed truth is paramount. Others understand the implications of the revealed truth of the scriptures and history of the Church in a different way. Taking the Bible and the theological tradition of the Church seriously is incredibly important. Application of the Gospel of grace to real life is important as well. Our difficult conversations about human sexuality within the Christian Church are best framed as a quest for faithfulness. Conflict arises as we entrench around our particular good.

At this point, Resolution D025 has more or less made it through both houses. There were some minor changes that will send it back to the deputies, but most argue it will clear that house. It is a very descriptive resolution that marks the present situation. We want to maintain relationships at all levels of the Anglican Communion and the majority at General Convention does not see sexual orientation, within the confines of monogamy and fidelity, as a barrier to discernment to any one of the three-fold orders of ministry within the Episcopal Church.

Some have conceptualized our conversation as a choice between two goods on a macro level. One good is the relationship that exists among the constituent churches of the Anglican Communion. Another good is the right relationship among people of the Episcopal Church.

Some bishops have argue that D025 changes nothing. It describes where we are and does not mean the end to the “restraint” of the last several years. Others argue it is a new day. We will see in time what it means in practice.

I continue to pray for the deputies and bishops. They are charged with a difficult task. I pray for their faithfulness and the faithfulness of the Church they represent.