Rector Orthodoxos: General Convention Day 4

I feel like a zoological oddity.  You know, like I ought to be behind bars with a sign that says: “Rector Orthodoxos, commonly known as ‘biblical, parish priest.’  Extremely rare.  Few remaining specimens are generally located in the southeastern regions of the United States.  Known to bite.  Approach with extreme caution.”

Instead, I wear a sign that says, “Steve Wood, South Carolina” but it has the same effect.  Truly.  I get on an elevator and happy people having nice conversation see my sign and the cold front moves in.  So much for “inclusivity.”

Our day starts with copies of The Daily – the newspaper of the General Convention.  Today’s main stories:

 Archbishop Williams’ address on the global economic downturn

Deputies approve budget priorities

The Episcopal Church Women’s work in New Orleans

Evangelism in Latino communities

This morning we had “Mission Conversations Through Public Narrative.”  What that means is this: we all sat at tables in the worship center and we each had two minutes to tell a story.  At the end of our story the other people around the table had an opportunity to ask us questions and share their learnings.  This last part lasted for three minutes.  I volunteered to be the timekeeper.  The good: it was mostly the South Carolina deputation at my table (I gave Bishop Lawrence four minutes to share his story.  And, I gave the participants six minutes to give him feedback).  I enjoy them and there were a few very touching and deeply personal things shared.  The bad: the exercise itself.  Seriously, here’s the methodology that we were given: “The Story of Self” which segues into “The Story of Us” which in turn creates “The Story of Us.”  What’s the problem with that?  What about the story of God?  No place for that in this story.

After our mission conversations we headed over to the Doubletree Hotel for our daily worship, lunch and legislative briefing with the American Anglican Council (“AAC”).  At previous General Conventions the work of the AAC has been invaluable.  Analysis, floor management, committee monitors, vendor booth presence – almost all gone now.  Why?  Because of the massive departure of orthodox clergy, laity and parishes over the past several years.  I think this, of all things, has been the most striking; the absolute void of the reasserting deputies.  Phil Ashey, pictured to the left, the COO of the AAC, organizes and presents the legislative briefings.  You’d be impressed with Phil.  He’s brilliant.  He also does his homework.  One the the stats that he provided estimated that there are 36 deputies (out of 847 deputies) with a similar point of view as South Carolina (that is, orthodox)!   

Speaking of deputies, here’s the demographic breakdown provided by the Office of the President of the House of Deputies:

847 deputies certified
339 new deputies
142 deputies of color
364 female deputies
483 male deputies
17 under the age of 25
25 between 25-35
 76 between 35-45
212 between 45-55
280 between 55-65
161 over 65
76 provided no age information 

Sitting in the press area of the House of Deputies this evening were two of my favorite journalist.  Baby Blue and Doug LeBlanc.  Baby Blue is one of the most creative people I know.  She has been a longtime follower of all things Episcopal/Anglican and usually offers brilliant insight into matters at hand.  Her blog is a nice mix of theology, culture and all things Bob Dylan, U2 and Harry Potter.  She’s been a longtime friend having met her some time ago through our work with the Alpha Course.  Make sure you check out her blog, linked above. 

Baby Blue is a member of Truro Parish in Fairfax, VA 

Doug LeBlanc began covering religion in June 1984 as religion editor of the Morning Advocate in Baton Rouge, La. Since then he has worked as an editor for Compassion International, Episcopalians United (now Anglicans United), and Christianity Today.

His work has appeared in Christian Research Journal, The Weekly Standard and The Wall Street Journal (he, quite wisely, interviewed yours truly, once, for the WSJ).

Doug is a member of St. Matthew’s Church in Richmond, VA

Our afternoon Legislative Session began about 4.30 p.m..  At 4.45 p.m. there was a Special Order to Elect Trustees of the Church Pension Fund.  12 positions need to be filled.  25 candidates are running.  We were to use the handy hand-held remote control voting devices.  I was looking forward to this moment.  We used these devices this past spring at the SC Diocesan Convention.  It was a challenge then.  Multiply that assemblage by 3 and I was expecting a meltdown.  I was not disappointed.  By 5.15 p.m. we were still trying to cast our first vote.  Finally, someone successfully “challenged the rule of the chair” and moved that the election be suspended until a time uncertain.  

The primary reason for the impatience, though, was the conversation that was set to ensue, the topic of B033.  B033 was a resolution passed at the last minute at the 2006 General Convention implementing a moratorium on the election of non-celibate homosexual persons to the Episcopacy.  Two sessions have been set aside for discussion on this matter to determine the “mind of the house”.  A vote of some sort in which one of several actions may be taken is likely, at least in the House of Deputies.  The Bishops, not known for their bravery, will probably duck the issue (a number of them are worried that if they vote their conscience it will cost them in the offering plate, sad, but true) thereby consigning the church to three more years of hand-wringing and disingenuous behavior.  

To begin our conversation we were instructed to find someone we don’t know (bad) and have a 30 minute conversation with them (worse) about these three questions:

1. What is your story with respect to B033?
2. What is our story as a church with respect to B033?
3. What is God calling us to do now?

What’s missing from the framework?  How about God’s story?  How about God’s self-revelation through Scripture?  How about God’s revelation through history to His church?

At the end of our dyadic discussions we were informed by the Chair that tomorrow morning’s discussion would be handled in a manner different than previous convention debates on human sexuality.  Rather than a “yes” and “no” microphone with people lining up and debate limited to one hour, we would have a lottery.  All deputies interested in speaking were to draw a number from one of the bags held by a page.  The lowest 50 numbers would be granted voice.  My number is to the right.  Guess y’all haven’t been praying enough.   

I’ll leave you with these video clips from the morning service.  The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, offered something called a “meditation” – it sounded like a sermon, but the bulletin said otherwise.  Who knows why?  I sure don’t.  He had two prefatory comments.  The first was to offer his thanks for being included in the American conversation.  The second was to express his hope that this gathered body WOULD NOT make decisions in the coming days that will push us further apart.  

Finally, a few disclaimers: first, the South Carolina table is in a different area code so the ABC appears more as a white spot against the backdrop; second, I had to split the video into two parts; and third, we sit at round tables for worship.  I had to set my camera on the table.  As people took notes they shook the table and so there are wiggles in the visual field (I’ll blame our bishop who was sitting at our table and writing furiously).

 Good night from Anaheim.