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BRIEFLY SPEAKING
AIDS resolution passage clouded by "blessing'' clause Deputies left their afternoon session Thursday with a vote by orders on an AIDS-related resolution still uncounted. Resolution A052 encourages "awareness of justice issues related to HIV/AIDS.'' Most deputies appeared to approve the bulk of the legislation, which called for the church to "combat the oppression of people based on race, gender, and sexual orientation ... [which] contributes directly to the spread of HIV/AIDS.''
But the third resolve, amended to the original resolution, called on General Convention to acknowledge that ``the blessing of committed, monogamous relationships, including same-gender relationships, promotes effective prevention of HIV/AIDS.'' A minority report of the Committee on National and International Affairs called the blessing clause "not germane'' to the original resolution and urged its removal.
Deputies voted to approve a resolution restoring the Office for Women's Ministries to the Episcopal Church Center (C040). The position of director was recently eliminated as part of a restructuring, prompting expressions of concern from the Episcopal Women's Caucusand other women's advocacy groups.
#A resolution giving Executive Council the authority to determine how many times a year it will meet (A123) was defeated.
#Deputies approved a resolution permitting a presiding bishop-elect to assume the presidency of Executive Council (A122);
These resolutions now go to the House of Bishops for consideration.
The deputies heard testimony on a resolution (A036) to create a new fund for ministry and mission called ``The Alleluia Fund -- Build My Church.'' The program, which would be developed by the national Office of Stewardship, would distribute materials to dioceses that would assist with fund-raising and ministries. An amendment adding ``that choose to participate'' after references to ``each diocese'' will be considered Friday.
The House of Deputies adopted the following resolutions:
# education in the prevention of HIV/AIDS through further training and ``emphasis on abstinence as well as on proven harm and risk reduction strategies'' (A050)
# provision of funds for expanding ministry to singles (A037).
Bishops urge criminal justice reform
Bishops meeting July 6 spent most of their afternoon hammering out two resolutions designed to address iniquities in a system that imposes increasingly harsh punishment while failing to help crime victims. The bishops approved a resolution calling for exploration and study of restorative justice for the nation's criminal justice system. A second resolution, calling for a moratorium on further prison construction and changes in laws requiring mandatory sentencing for nonviolent crimes, was also passed. These resolutions now go to the House of Deputies for consideration.
Compiled from Episcopal News Service
