Dr.Deimel says about this paper:
“This is not a voter’s guide designed to tell deputies which resolutions to vote for and which resolutions to vote against. It is, rather, a reflection on the resolutions that should help deputies focus on relevant issues, even if their points of view differ substantially from that expressed here. Moreover, it is important to remember that the Special Commission’s recommendations are a starting point for General Convention discussion; the final product of the legislative process will surely be different, in major or in minor ways.
The church’s proper response to events that followed General Convention 2003 needs to be considered in the context of those events and of longstanding movements in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion. Deputies should familiarize themselves with that history, which is documented and explicated elsewhere. Above all, the following questions must be kept in mind as resolutions are considered:
- What problem are we solving?
- How is any proposed resolution supposed to contribute to a solution?
- What are the likely (and possibly even unlikely) negative consequences of any proposed resolution?
To which we might all voice a profound Amen.
When it is posted it will be on the PEP webside, which is http://www.progressiveepiscopalians.org
This is a must read.
Mark, very fine stuff indeed. Asking questions rather than shoving rhetoric down peoples' throats is always a saner way to proceed.
ReplyDeleteI'm always asking the questions Avery Dulles asked of each of his "models" of the church: What are the bonds of union? What are the benefits of the church's presence? Who are the beneficiaries?
I've come to ask some others along with those: Who is (potentially or actually) harmed, and in what way? What are the disadvantages of the Church's presence? Are the benefits really worth the harm?
Asking questions can be such an exercise in thoughtful humility and self-discovery--individually and corporately. Let's hope there's room at GC and other meetings of Anglicans throughout the world for some humility and discovery.