Resolution to Redirect Financial Support

Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee
Holiday Inn and St. John Episcopal Church, Johnson City
February 6-7, 2004

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Resolution No. 2
Action: tabled

PROPOSED BY: Thomas M. Hale, delegate, Ascension, Knoxville
DATE: January 6, 2004

RESOLVED, That the Diocese of East Tennessee will not extend any additional funds to support ECUSA until it (A) acts as an institution to articulate its doctrine, and the scriptural and theological foundation for such doctrine, on questions of (i) the acceptability of its ordained leaders being in sexually active unions with persons of the same sex, and (ii) the acceptability of this Church recognizing the blessing of unions between persons of the same sex, and (B) actively engages in efforts designed to educate and instruct the individuals making up the membership of this Church on its doctrine concerning such matters. However, the Diocese will identify the good works previously performed by ECUSA and support those good works directly rather than indirectly through ECUSA.

EXPLANATION OF RESOLUTION: Marriage between a man and a woman has been the norm experienced by most of us as it has specific support in the scriptures, the sacraments of the Church and otherwise in the habits and tradition of humankind. Moreover, it is expected that the leaders, especially spiritual leaders, of any viable institution, particularly religious institutions, will strive to live the values professed to be held by the institution. These are two very important core concepts in our worldly experience. Regardless of one's belief of God's will for His people on the issues that have created the current controversy within this Church, given the long-standing historic understanding of acceptable conduct held by most mainline churches, as well as the Anglican Communion, ECUSA cannot abdicate its responsibility to develop an intellectually honest explanations for a shift in its doctrine on and understanding of these traditional values and core concepts.

The current turmoil that exists is the direct result of ECUSA's failure to insist on adherence to accepted norms until such an examination and explanation was developed and, if a shift in norms deemed to be appropriate, taught to its people.