I do not believe, as I've said to many of you previously, that this gathering of the House of Bishops is a final "line in the sand" moment. It is a part of a process that will help us to discern, in the words of the Windsor Report, the "highest degree of communion possible" within our Anglican Communion. I have received my invitation to the Lambeth Conference, as have all but a handful of other bishops. I fully expect this ongoing discernment of communion to continue at Lambeth.
At this particular gathering in New Orleans our House of Bishops will address three significant matters. We have been asked to clarify what were our intentions when General Convention passed B033 last summer, the very difficult "compromise" in which we pledged not to consent to the election of a bishop whose "manner of life" would pose a challenge to our communion. Many disagreed with our action, but everyone knew what was being said by this resolution. Secondly, we have been asked to clarify whether or not we have authorized the blessing of same gender unions. We, as a church, have not and I believe we can say that with integrity. However, a minority have interpreted our commitment to the pastoral care of gay and lesbian persons as permission to allow for the blessing of same gender relationships.
Thirdly, we have been asked to consider the concept of a covenant, including what would be its purpose, content and instruments of accountability? Controversial from its outset and dismissed by every faction of the Communion at one time or another, the idea of a covenant remains alive and will be a part of our ongoing conversation for years to come.
Some bishops and spouses will be spending time on the Gulf Coast on Saturday and Sunday of our meeting. They will receive an orientation to our challenges, work out of Camp Coast Care in rebuilding projects and join coast congregations for Sunday worship. I believe their presence among us will point again to our experience over the past two years of being "One Church in Mission."
The Archbishop of Canterbury will be meeting with us for two days of our deliberations. His presence among us is eagerly anticipated and I am delighted that he accepted our invitation to join us. I have been asked to sit with him when we move to our traditional small group tables for in depth conversations during plenary sessions. I am honored to be chosen by our Presiding Bishop to participate in this way and look forward to a deeper conversation with Archbishop Williams than I had previously imagined.
You can expect me to renew my commitment to the requests of the Windsor Report. That should come as no surprise to anyone. I believe there is a place in the Episcopal Church for those like me who hold a more traditional theological position on the current litmus test issues. You can expect me to continue to work to provide safe places for those who share such convictions within the Episcopal Church.
You can expect me to continue to be guided by the spiritual counsel of our Archbishop of Canterbury. I have come to the conclusion that I cannot be an Anglican without being an Episcopalian, nor can I be an Episcopalian without being an Anglican. To ask me to separate the two would be akin to asking me to separate my maleness from my southern Caucasian heritage. Both have shaped me dramatically, for better or worse, and a separation of the two is fundamentally impossible. You can expect me to share something of this with the Archbishop.
Thus, I trust that in these brief comments you will understand that I have no desire to expend energy in creating a new church. I believe that the Episcopal Church will remain a part of the Anglican Communion through its relationship with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Other parts of the communion may choose to sever its relationship with Canterbury. That is their choice. I have chosen otherwise.
You can expect me to push this church to make real its commitment to diversity. That would mean that we shall be a church of invitation and open to all people. It will also mean that this church must give dignity and safety to those who, through reason of conscience and conviction, cannot accept certain theological and ethical presuppositions of the majority of the church. I believe that is what I am called to do in faithfulness to my vows as your bishop.
Thank you for your faithfulness in all that you do. We will have time at Clergy Conference to process all that happens in New Orleans. In the meantime, I covet your prayers.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, III
