Integrity Statement on House of Bishops’s New Orleans Declaration

Posted by Kendall Harmon

NEW ORLEANS—The members of Integrity have prayed unceasingly for their bishops as they met this week to consider a response to the primates' communiqué. The bishops were pressured by the Archbishop of Canterbury and other international guests to comply with the primate's demands. The bishops struggled mightily amongst themselves to achieve a clear consensus on how to respond. Integrity is gratified that the final response from the House of Bishop declined to succumb to the pressure to go backwards, but rather took some significant steps forward.

We are encouraged by their strong language against the incursions of uninvited bishops into this province, their commendation of the Anglican Listening Process, their unequivocal support that the Bishop of New Hampshire should receive an invitation to the Lambeth Conference, and their affirmation of safety and civil rights for LGBT persons.

Integrity President Susan Russell said, "In response to requests for 'clarity' the House of Bishops made it clear today that the Episcopal Church is moving forward in faith. I believe today’s response will be received as a sign of great hope that we are committed to working through the hard ground of our differences. I look forward to taking the support of the House of Bishops for the Listening Process with me when I and other Integrity representatives meet with Anglican colleagues in London next month to prepare for our witness at the Lambeth Conference."

"Integrity is confident that The Episcopal Church will continue to move forward," concluded Russell. "Integrity expects General Convention 2009 to be a tipping point for equality. We will be working hard in the months ahead to repeal B033 and to authorize development of a rite for blessing same-sex relationships as steps toward the goal of the full inclusion of all the baptized into the Body of Christ."


Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • - Anglican: Primary Source • -- Statements & Letters: Organizations • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Bishops • Sept07 HoB Meeting • Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion) • Same-sex blessings

19 Comments
Posted September 25, 2007 at 7:55 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. David+ wrote:

Somehow I think Integrity has gotten all it is going to get from the Anglican Communion and from a now in a state of collape TEC. Their days are numbered.

September 25, 8:04 pm | [comment link]
2. vu82 wrote:

Rofl. Just in case you were wondering what the statement means.
But to their credit the “mind of the House” is clearer and truer than the usual amorphous mess.  Their handwriting is on the wall for all to see.

And they will be taking TEC forward to the trash heap of History.

September 25, 8:10 pm | [comment link]
3. Don Armstrong wrote:

You either buy the gay agenda—-or off with your head in TEC…

September 25, 8:29 pm | [comment link]
4. Sherri wrote:

We are encouraged by their strong language against the incursions of uninvited bishops into this province,

Why does it matter so much to Integrity that reasserters should *not* receive pastoral care?????

September 25, 8:34 pm | [comment link]
5. Albany* wrote:

#4 Because it’s all about them.

September 25, 8:46 pm | [comment link]
6. TonyinCNY wrote:

Susan Russell is partly right.  Their is a clear stand against foreign intervention.  Most of the rest of the statement is typical bishopspeak, which is to say purposely ambiguous along the lines of Bp. Bruno not permitting ssu s in his diocese.

September 25, 8:58 pm | [comment link]
7. Br. Michael wrote:

Having said “No” to the Primates, I must agree with Russell+ and urge TEC to develop a public rite as soon as possible.  And it should be manditaory for all in TEC.

September 25, 8:58 pm | [comment link]
8. DonGander wrote:

“Integrity President Susan Russell said, ‘In response to requests for ‘clarity’ the House of Bishops made it clear today that the Episcopal Church is moving forward in faith.’”

Amen. God works in mysterious ways…

That quote is the most stunning thing that I have read today!

September 25, 9:03 pm | [comment link]
9. Cennydd wrote:

May I remind those who bemoan foreign intervention that this would never have been necessary if it weren’t for the fact…...and I DO mean FACT…...that The Episcopal Church’s majority has persecuted those who disagree with them and the decisions made at GC2006?  It should therefore come as no surprise that so many have left TEC and sought overseas protection.  What else would you have had us do?

September 25, 9:06 pm | [comment link]
10. w.w. wrote:

Er-r, Susan,

“...The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom B033 pertains.”

Isn’t that a huge step backwards in your book? You and others fought vociferously to prevent that from being an understood of B033. You warned against such “betrayal.” Suddenly, you, Bp. Bruno, Bp. Chane, et al seem to have rolled over (and simultaneously, at that). Completely out of character for you folks.  Makes me wonder what’s blowin’ in the wind. smile

w.w.

September 25, 9:14 pm | [comment link]
11. dwstroudmd+ wrote:

precisely, w.w.

September 25, 10:58 pm | [comment link]
12. Fred wrote:

Er-r w.w.—Now at least the bigotry against LGBT people is on record.

September 25, 11:21 pm | [comment link]
13. dpeirce wrote:

The bishops were pressured by the Archbishop of Canterbury…. to comply with the primate’s demands.

Did we write off +++Rowan too quickly??????  Behind the closed door, does he actually have spine?

In faith, Dave
Viva Texas

September 25, 11:34 pm | [comment link]
14. Zoot wrote:

Integrity has only 1931 members nationwide and they did this to us.  Don’t you think we can rally the faithful and smoke these guys.  All it would take is a little work.

September 26, 1:12 am | [comment link]
15. Milton wrote:

Don’t worry.  Susan Russell is on record on her blog as saying that every effort will be made to reverse B033 at GC09 and no doubt official same-sex blessing rites will be passed then also.  It has been the strategy of the GLBT lobby within TEC for the last 30 years to achieve incremental change and outlast/discourage/wear down/expel the orthodox, all in the name of radical inclusivity.  After GC09 +RW can declare that reconciliation has triumphed over schism and All Is Well.  Reminds me of Lewis Carroll’s Walrus reciting poetry to the clams at the beach.  At the end, he asks for a response, but he got none because, “you see, they’d eaten every one”.

September 26, 7:21 am | [comment link]
16. Bob Lee wrote:

Zoot: Now, that is funny.

bl

September 26, 11:09 am | [comment link]
17. w.w. wrote:

Fred,

Keep it straight. The bias is against non-celibate practice and manner of life, not against GLBT “people.”

w.w.

September 26, 11:30 am | [comment link]
18. nwlayman wrote:

And so say 0.1% of ECUSA.  Fear us!  Worship us!  THis isn’t the tail wagging the dog, it’s about 5 cells in the tip of the dog’s tail wagging the dog.  Wow.  How little it takes to control a bunch of cattle.

September 26, 11:56 am | [comment link]
19. Harvey wrote:

The road Integrity is following is steep and wide and I don’t think they will try to turn and come back.  It’s a little too late.  Of course if TEC plots to continue the way it is going they will have lots of company.
Rephrasing a Civil War phrase of Admiral Farrugaut we could have “...d*m* the torpedoes full speed ah—BOOM!!!”

September 26, 8:00 pm | [comment link]
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