Eleven bishops scattered across the U.S. and Province IX (Colombia, Dominican Republic, Central Ecuador, Litoral Ecuador, Honduras, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela) came together for an Austin Statement of the Communion Partners of the Episcopal Church following the 79th General Convention held July 2-13 in Austin, Texas.
The Austin Statement was available in paper form for all individuals who attended the Diocese of Central Florida’s General Convention Debriefing held Saturday, July 21, at St. Luke and St. Peter Episcopal Church in St. Cloud. An estimated 80 people attended the debriefing, which was led by Bishop Greg Brewer and featured speeches by several members of the diocesan deputation to the General Convention.
As outlined in the statement via their website, the Communion Partners made statements on a number of subjects, including:
- A Task Force on Communion across Difference (Resolution A227) will consist of a committee comprising of seven individuals who are for same-sex marriage, and seven who are against who will “seek a lasting path forward for mutual flourishing consistent with this Church’s policy.”
- Province IX invited the Episcopal Church to preserve a place for traditional theological witness.
- Preservation of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer through memorialization while allowing for the development of liturgy outside the Prayer Book.
- The affirmation without doubt of the traditional teaching that “Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which the woman and the man enter into a life-long union” that is “intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another…; and, when it is God’s will, for the procreation of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord” (BCP, pp. 861, 423).
- Resolution B012 allows liturgies for same-sex marriages to be used in all congregations that desire to use them, as authorized by their rectors or priests-in-charge. However, each diocese may handle such a situation differently. Bishops who oppose same-sex marriage can call on other bishops to provide pastoral care in the event a same-sex marriage is requested in their diocese.
- Presiding Bishop Michael Curry asks for Episcopalians to turn their hearts to Jesus.
Episcopalians can view the Austin Statement in its entirety through the link:
http://communionpartners.org/austin-statement-july-13-2018/