A Convention Update

I've sent this along to our diocesan webmaster Andy Muhl for inclusion in the Anaheim Journal that he's keeping on our diocesan website, but I thought I'd post it here as well.

A Midcourse Reflection
Bruce Robison, Clergy Deputy #4
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh

Friday, July 10, was Day Three on the Legislative Calendar of General Convention, and in the thematic organization of Convention this was the day that the overarching concept of Ubuntu (the African word meaning "I am because we are") was represented at the daily Eucharist by the word "Unity."

The centerpiece of this at the service was in the I think very fine sermon on Luke 10: 25-28 preached by House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson.

President Anderson's meditation on "Unity" began with a citation of Louis Armstrong's answer to the question, "What is jazz?" "If you have to ask," he said, "you don't know it."

Unity, then, not so much a formal agreement, not simply a sharing of common ideas, beliefs and values, but more deeply, "a spiritual practice." Unity as a way of life, intentionally leaning toward the other, with an openness to personal change, a sense of receptivity, a willingness to let go. An acceptance of the possibility of transformation, of death and resurrection.

(I believe her sermon is or will be available on the General Convention website--as all the sermons from these daily services are or will be--and I encourage folks to take the opportunity to read the whole thing . . . .)

The theme of Unity was represented at the service as well by the presence as Eucharistic Concelebrant, the Rt. Rev. Hopeton Clennon, a Bishop of the Moravian Church.

(One of the very interesting topics we will be addressing legislatively at Convention next week will be a proposal to enter into a formal Communion relationship with the American Moravians.)

It was also very nice to be lead in worship--these always very energetic, colorful, and interesting services--by a combined Children's Choir from the Diocese of Los Angeles, and I would just note as a side comment that the ethnic and cultural and linguistic diversity of the Episcopal Church here in Los Angeles has been very much an enrichment of the "Ubuntu" theme.

On the floor of the House of Deputies President Anderson's idea of "Unity as spiritual practice" was certainly in play--in the sense that we were reminded that Unity is indeed not a steady state experience, but something uneven, to be worked toward, often three steps forward, two back. Perhaps sometimes two steps forward, three back.

It had seemed to me that there was the potential for some real ironic dissonance in naming so persistently these themes of unity in a time of so much stress, so many fractures and threatened fractures of relationship. And we may still get to some of that irony. But thus far, I think the expression has felt authentic.

One of the major events of our time in the House of Deputies in this first week, something that I suspect will be known as one of the highlights of this 76th General Convention, was a special order for the House to become a Committee of the Whole for the discussion of the personal and corporate impact of Resolution B-033, adopted at the 2006 General Convention.

B-033 specifically called on Bishops and Standing Committees to exercise "restraint" when considering the consents to the election of candidates to the episcopate whose "manner of life" might further stress the relationship of the Episcopal Church to the wider Anglican Communion. This consideration of restraint was focused principally on the concerns about the possible election and consecration of any futher partnered homosexual bishops, following the consent in 2003 to the election of the Bishop of New Hampshire.

The Committee of the Whole had three different parts.

The first began on Thursday evening with an extended reading by Deputy Gay Jennings of Ohio, the Chair of the House of Deputies Committee on World Mission, of a history of Resolution 2006 B-033. (I believe it also is available on the General Convention website.)

Deputies were then asked to move from our tables, to find a conversational partner, and to share together our personal perspectives on B-033, and our concerns for the Church as we move forward.

I was very pleased--blessed, really--to have as my partner the Rev. David Ota, the Chair of the Clergy Deputation from the Diocese of California. (David's name was vaguely familiar to me, and we discovered that we actually had overlapped for a year, my Junior, his Senior, at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific back in the early 1980's. We also discovered that we have many friends in common. Such is the family of this Church!)

David and I were both present at General Convention in 2006, he on the floor as a Deputy, I in the gallery as a representative from the Network of Episcopal Clergy Associations. We shared our memories of the events surrounding B-033's passage and our thoughts about the way forward now.

It's probably fair to say that David and I don't have exactly the same thoughts about the best way forward for the Church now. But what I do think was really clear to both of us was that in the midst of some differences we share a deep love for the Church and an openness and a sense of respect as we try to sort through our differences. It was a fun and interesting conversation.

Finally, on Friday morning, in an extended final session of our Committee of the Whole, a randomly selected group of 30 Deputies were given the opportunity for (exactly) two minutes each at a microphone to share their stories and perspectives with the whole house.

Though the selection was random, I am glad to say that in this presentation there was a good and I think proportionate representation of different views about how the Church should go forward in the context of B-033.

Really without exception the speakers were articulate, thoughtful, careful, respectful. In my view it was a very dignified and graceful expression of the life of our Church. I was of course pleased to hear a number of speakers well-articulate some of my own thoughts. But I think even more I was thankful to have the opportunity to hear from those whose way of thinking about the challenges we face are different from mine. I learned a great deal from them, and I was moved by the sense of sincerity and real Christian discernment that all the speakers reflected.

So, "Unity" on Day Three in Anaheim. There clearly are a lot of very important items on the agenda between now and next Friday, and certainly with the possibility in the midst of things for some passionate disagreement as aspects of our different conversations come before us again in the form of specific resolutions and other legislation. But I think, perhaps unlike a few of the more recent Conventions, there is a healthful sense that, well, "we're all in this together."

It is a great privilege to be here representing our Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, and I do want to share that many times each day people come up to me and to all of our Pittsburgh deputation to say, "we have been praying for you," and to express friendship and encouragement. That has been nice to hear.

It is also so much fun to share this time with my colleagues and friends in our clergy deputation--Jim Simons, Scott Quinn, Harold Lewis, Lou Hays, and Vicente Santiago--and with our lay deputies: Steve Stagnitta, Dave Laughlin, Joan Gundersen, Mary Roehrich, and Gwen Santiago. It has been good as well to spend time with Bishop Johnson, who is of course a very active member of the House of Bishops, the other body in our bicameral Convention.

We all share many hours ever day in very concentrated work. And we also have had some very enjoyable dinners and social events (including, for some of us, a quick trip out to Anaheim Stadium to see the Angels get thumped by the Texas Rangers on a lovely California evening). There is a great spirit--I think reflecting the spirit of good health that has emerged over this past year across our continuing diocese. I know all of us will look forward to getting back to Pittsburgh and, as summer moves toward fall, to sharing more of our thoughts and experiences with our diocesan family.

Affectionately,

Bruce Robison