The House of Bishops ended the last plenary of the day on Sept. 24 with an unscheduled private conversation that was extended several times and eventually exceeded 90 minutes.

During a media briefing afterward three bishops--Neil Alexander of Atlanta, David Alverez of Puerto Rico and J. Jon Bruno of Los Angeles--confirmed that the subject of the private conversation was a possible response to the primates’ communiqué. The fall meeting in New Orleans concludes Tuesday.

The document released Monday morning is no longer a draft being revised. It has been replaced, Bishop Bruno said during the briefing. The new working draft was developed from this document and one submitted by Bishop Bruno and Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana. During the private session, the bishops discussed the two documents simultaneously for an extended period without coming to any consensus.

Finally Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori proposed an eight-paragraph summary which she had written. An overwhelming majority of bishops agreed her proposal captured many of the salient points in both of the draft documents under debate.

After receiving approval, Bishop Jefferts Schori briefed members of the joint steering committee of the primates and the Anglican Consultative Council so that they could complete their report to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. The members of the steering committee were under a deadline because many are scheduled to depart New Orleans Tuesday morning. The writing committee will present final draft language for approval by bishops in the morning.

The new document essentially preserves the current status quo within The Episcopal Church, according to several bishops who were present. In the media briefing Bishop Bruno said the document in no way represented a “turning back of the clock. Gays and lesbians are fully enfranchised in our life.” There will be no going back on that, he stated.

Bishop Bruno was questioned closely by journalists attending the briefing on whether there would be any change to the current policy on same-sex blessings, which is determined by General Convention Resolution C051 approved in 2003. That resolution states in part “that local faith communities are operating within the bounds of our common life as they explore and experience liturgies celebrating and blessing same-sex unions.”

At one point in response to a question by a reporter from The New York Times, Bishop Bruno said “same-sex blessings do not occur in my diocese with my permission.” The media briefing was officially ended shortly after that. In a follow up question afterward, Bishop Bruno denied knowledge of a same-sex blessing that occurred Saturday at All Saints’, Beverly Hills. A celebration announcement was published in the Sunday edition of the Times.

When contacted by The Living Church, the Rev. Susan Russell, associate rector at All Saints' Church, Pasadena, and president of Integrity, clarified the apparent contradiction.

“Same-sex blessings occur in the Diocese of Los Angeles all the time,” she said listing several parishes including her own at which same-sex blessings had recently been performed. “We don’t ask for permission because Bishop Bruno has told us that he cannot give it until General Convention approves an official liturgy. He has told us that we are free to exercise appropriate pastoral care” for parishoners.

Steve Waring

Additional Coverage from the House of Bishops’ Meeting:

• Bishops Debate Resolution Behind Closed Doors

• Bishops Struggle to Craft Satisfactory Statement

• Writing Group Presents House of Bishops With Draft

• Historic Two Days Ahead for House of Bishops

• Bishop Steenson Will Become a Roman Catholic

• Multiple Resolutions Await Bishops on Monday

• Concluding his Visit, Archbishop Seeks to Lower Expectations

• Details Sketchy on Episcopal Visitors Proposal

• Eight Agree to Serve as Episcopal Visitors

• Bishops, Archbishop of Canterbury Begin Private Sessions

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