Over the course of many years spent teaching peacemaking, the Rev. Canon F. Brian Cox, rector of Christ the King Parish in Santa Barbara, Calif., has accumulated hundreds of stories about forgiveness. In April, the Diocese of Western Massachusetts worked with Canon Cox and his colleagues from the Diocese of Los Angeles as well as with leaders in reconciliation from the Dioceses of Ohio and Northern Indiana to host a reconciliation seminar in Holyoke, Mass.

One hundred church leaders from the sponsoring dioceses and from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Minnesota and Western North Carolina participated. They learned about the eight principles of reconciliation, and they were given a vision of faith-based reconciliation, so, as Canon Cox said, "it can take place in their hearts and isn’t just an intellectual notion."

The Rev. Sarah Shofstall, canon to the ordinary in the Diocese of Western Massachusetts and a leader in organizing the seminar, said the purpose was not to change minds. "We hope that people go home from the conference with a greater understanding of the views of those with whom they disagree and a greater commitment to stay in relationship with them," she said. "Becoming a reconciler begins with internal work, examining our own hearts and our own behaviors."

There were 30 participants at the seminar from the Diocese of Ohio and they have pledged to get together to talk about how to apply what they learned.

Likewise, the nine participants from the Diocese of Northern Indiana also plan to gather to discuss a diocesan-wide reconciliation training and to discuss how to apply reconciliation to the proceedings of General Convention.

"I think General Convention would be different if the goal was working together to be reconciled with each other," said Patrick Ormos, rector of St. Andrew’s Church, Valparaiso, Ind. "This provides a different paradigm for the church. This provides a paradigm of reconciliation instead of advocacy."

Reconciliation is not just a "nice idea, it is mandated by the gospel," Canon Shofstall said. "Jesus told his disciples over and over to love one another. We can theologize about thousands of issues facing the Church, but we are obligated to be in relationship with people who think differently from us."

Janice Ripley Beetle

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