We believe that the action of this house, which declares that it is not appropriate for this Church to ordain a practicing homosexual or any person who is engaged in heterosexual relations out of marriage, while it has the specious appearance at first glance of reaffirming and upholding time-honored verities, carries with it a cruel denial of the sexual beings of homosexual persons..... It also carries with it, in implied logic, a repudiation of those ministries, by homosexual persons and to homosexual persons, already being exercised in our midst; and it invites, furthermore, the prospect of retroactive reprisals against ordained homosexual persons, with consequences of untold harm to the Church and its people, whether homosexual or heterosexual.
This action also speaks a word of condemning judgment against countless laypersons of homosexual orientation who are rendered by its implications second-class citizens in the Church of their baptism, fit to receive all other sacraments but the grace of Holy Order--unless, in a sacrifice not asked of heterosexual persons generally, they abandon all hope of finding human fulfillment, under God, in a sexual and supportive relationship. This action, thus, makes a mockery of the vow and commitment which the Church has made to them in that same sacrament of baptism, to do all in its power to support these persons in their life in Christ--all of these persons, without exception--and calls into question the vows of us all to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being....
Taking note, therefore, that this action of the house is recommendatory and not prescriptive, we give notice as we are answerable before almighty God that we cannot accept these recommendations or implement them in our diocese insofar as they relate or give unqualified expression to Recommendation Three [forbidding ordination of lesbians and gays].
To do so would be to abrogate our responsibilities of apostolic leadership and prophetic witness to the flock of Christ, committed to our charge: and it would involve a repudiation of our ordination vows as Bishops: in the words of the new Prayer Book, boldly to proclaim and interpret the Gospel of Christ, enlightening the minds and stirring up the conscience of our people, and to encourage and support all baptized people in their gifts and ministries...and to celebrate with them the sacraments of our redemption; or in the words of the old, to be to the flock of Christ a shepherd, not a wolf. Our appeal is to conscience, and to God. Amen
From The Daily of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, Tuesday, September 18, 1979, page 2.
Signed originally by Later signed by Robert M. Anderson Frederick H. Borsch Charles E. Bennison Judson Child Edmund L. Browning Donald J. Davis John M. Burgess Walter Dennis Otis Charles Herbert A. Donovan, Jr. David R. Cochran Albert T. Eastman Ned Cole Herbert D. Edmonson Robert L. DeWitt Frank Griswold William A. Dimmick Donald P. Hart Wesley Frensdorff C. Shannon Mallory John M. Krumm Q. Primo H. Coleman McGehee Thomas K. Ray Paul Moore David E. Richards J. Brook Mosley Philip A. Smith Lyman C. Ogilby John S. Spong Frederick W. Putnam Daniel L. Swenson Francisco Reus-Froylan Douglas E. Theuner William B. Spofford Orris G. Walker, Jr. Richard M. Trelease Stewart C. Zabriskie John T. Walker20+19=49 bishops