ISSUES
2006
TUESDAY
JUNE 13
Economic Justice Legislation
at General Convention
The Episcopal Network for Economic Justice (ENEJ) has developed a list of proposed legislation relating to economic
justice at the 75th General Convention.
The list is available at the ENEJ booth in The Consultation area. ENEJ is also seeking volunteers to attend hearings and address
these issues. Among the proposed legislation are two resolutions from the Diocese of Newark – one commending the use
of ENEJ’s new Economic Justice How-To Manual (C012) and one supporting the right of workers to organize (C008). Other
resolutions address such issues as supporting the Millennium Development Goals (A008, A009, A010, A142, A164, C024), sustainable
food supply (A130), immigration (A017), affordable health insurance and health care (A, 147, C022 and C032) and global poverty
(C017).
ENEJ
supports the Economic Justice plank of The Consultation Platform. It calls upon the church to continue support for state and
local minimum wage campaigns as well as the raising of the federal minimum wage to at least the current poverty line of $8.70
per hour. The Consultation platform also addresses the issue of more equal pay for all church employees. It calls upon the
Church, especially the Church Pension Fund, to find ways to invest in the Economic Justice Loan Fund. It commends the work
of the Economic Justice Loan Committee and their new partnerships that provide funds for community –based projects.
ENEJ supports increased
funding for Jubilee Ministry grants and the restoration of funding for Appalachian Ministries in the triennium budget.
Mike Moloney
OPEN MEETING of The Consultation in Room D242 in the Convention Center
Wednesday, June 14,
12:30 to 1:30.
No food or drink,
please!!
Repentance
In the wake of the Windsor Report there has been much discussion about the words “apology,”
“regret” and “repentance.”
Immediately conservatives began saying that the Windsor Report asked that The Episcopal
Church “repent” of its actions in Minneapolis 2003 – even though the WR does not do that. I’m not
sure it’s possible to “repent” of proph-etic actions without doing damage to one’s soul. But there
ARE some things The Anglican Communion and The Episcopal Church should repent of.
The Archbishop of Canterbury should give serious thought
to asking that the Anglican Communion repent of hundreds of years of scapegoating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered
people – often at the cost of their lives. The most recent case in point is Nigeria, where even the Primate of the Anglican
Church in Nigeria supports laws that criminalize GLBT people and make it illegal for anyone, including straight people, to
advocate basic civil rights on their behalf.
Closer to home, resolution A123 [Slavery and Racial Reconciliation] asks The Episcopal Church to
acknowledge “its history and the deep and lasting injury” slavery inflicted on society and to apologize for its
complicity in and the injury done by the institution of slavery and its aftermath.” If ever a case could be made for
The Episcopal Church in General Convention publicly repenting of a past action, I would say its complicity in upholding the
institution of slavery would be it.
So let’s see – acknowledging the full participation of GLBT people in the life and work
of the church; or being complicit in slaver, scapegoating GLBT people and
actively supporting the persecution and murder of human beings for being GLBT. . .
Hmmm. Which of these do you think requires repentance?
Katie Sherrod
Remember that if you’re thirsty you’ve
waited too long to drink your water.
Is Iraq More Important?
The most significant issue
before us today is not one that is getting a lot of buzz. Though several issues are important for the future of the Church
– the election of the next Presiding Bishop; the relationship between ECUSA and the Anglican Communion; advancement
towards a generally approved rite for the blessing of same-sex unions – one issue has both greater urgency and greater
significance for our Christian identity and witness. That issue is the war in Iraq and our response to and responsibility
for it. Two expressions of this issue appear here in Columbus this week: the Eyes Wide Open exhibit at the State
Capitol, and resolutions on the war proposed to General Convention.
The war in Iraq challenges us to witness to
the teachings of Jesus both among ourselves – for we do not all agree on US policy – and to the world: for where
else can the world turn to learn about peace? We must speak out about the effects of the war on Americans and on the Iraqi
people, on the environment, and on our relationships with other peoples and nations. Now is our chance to make a clear statement
about the war.
At least one resolution has been proposed which reminds us of the ecumenical statement before the
war began, opposing it because it did not meet the conditions of a “Just War.” The resolution calls for Episcopalians
to accept responsibility for and repent of our participation in the war; to increase dialogue with Muslims, especially Iraqi
Muslims in America; and to oppose the war and resist continuation of it. It also asks the Presiding Bishop and the Executive
Council to promote the teaching of nonviolent methods of conflict resolution and change.
The Eyes Wide Open exhibit provides a moving witness to the thousands of American and tens of thousands of Iraqi deaths. If you
have not already visited this exhibit, please do so. In addition, the Episcopal Peace Fellowship is offering a curriculum
on nonviolence, “Creating a Culture of Peace”, and you can learn more about it at the EPF table under The Consultation
banner. If the resolution which asks for Christian formation materials on nonviolence to be promulgated passes, CCP is available
now.
Iraq is the issue before us at the 75th General Convention. Will we unite in proclaiming our response: war is not
the answer?
Katherine
Johnson
Lunch Time Speaker
under
The Consultation
banner
Today
at 12:45 Katrina Browne, Producer/Director,
will speak to her most recent film, Traces of the Trade, which tells the story of her forefathers, the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history.
Tomorrow: Sr. Ellen Frances, O.S.H.
Thursday, the Rev. Canon
Naim Ateek
Friday,
Janet Chisholm
With all the paper you’ve been receiving, we kindly limit today’s edition
to this single sheet. As our contributors get up to speed, we may expand..
