Im sure everyone in the diocese has been keeping an eye on how the General Convention of the Episcopal church would respond to the Windsor Report. Today, decisive action occurred when the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops adopted Resolution B- 033.

The resolution reads:
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring that the 75th General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Reports invitation to engage in a process of healing and reconciliation; and be it further resolved, that this Convention therefore call upon Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.

As you know, entering this General Convention, our major issue was balancing the concerns of the Anglican Communion as expressed in the Windsor Report against our strong desire to remain true to the positions our church has taken while living into our democratic system that allows bishops, clergy and laity to have equal voice.

This resolution is not perfect, and many people who very strongly support the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the life of the church found it very painful to vote for this. Some of our bishops who have been their strongest champions supported this resolution at great personal cost.

However in the end, the unity of the Anglican Communion was an overriding issue. We felt keenly the call to stand shoulder to shoulder with 77 million Anglicans throughout the world, and we highly value that relationship. It is essential that we stay in conversation with the gay and lesbian members of our own church and the people who support their full inclusion as well as with our more conservative brothers and sisters in our diocese, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. Hopefully this resolution will allow that to occur.

Presiding Bishop-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori, who has long been known as a champion for the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people, spoke eloquently of the need for us to move beyond our own personal feelings and to take an action that allows us to continue the conversation around the world. Her voice was important. My belief is that convention felt very strongly that we needed to support her in this. I think we need to send her forth in her new role with a place at that table.

There will be gay and lesbian people in our diocese who are hurt by this decision, while others will feel that even this resolution does not go far enough. In our preparation of this General Convention, the Diocese of Southern Ohio has been marked by charity, graciousness and tolerance of different points of view. I encourage you to continue this conversation with respect and compassion. I thank you for your prayers and for your support during this important time in the life of our church.

Faithfully,


Bishop Ken Price