Legislative updates from day six

Provisional liturgical resources for blessing same-gender relationships now official:  Read Episcopal News Service’s coverage of the House of Deputies’ debate and approval of A049 yesterday.

Anglican Covenant:  The General Convention has decided to support ongoing relationships and conversation communionwide, but has voted to take no position on the Anglican Covenant itself.  Bishop Ian Douglas of Connecticut, who chairs the World Mission Committee, says in this Episcopal News Service story that this convention’s actions are “a genuine pastoral response because we are not of one mind, and to push a decision at this time would cause hurt and alienation in our church on both sides and instead we chose to stay in the conversation.”

Israel-Palestine:  Both houses have approved Resolution B019 calling for “positive investment” in Palestinian territories and reaffirming the church’s position on a two-state solution.  C060, however, calling for “more vigorous and public corporate engagement with companies in the church’s investment portfolio that contribute to the infrastructure of the Occupation,” cleared the House of Deputies, but then got tabled by the bishops.  Disagreement seemed to come down to a matter of degree:  Some saw it as a necessarily bolder action that was still moderate enough, but in the end, it was too vigorous for the majority.  Episcopal News Service’s coverage is here.

To sell or not to sell:  The convention is still trying to figure out what to do with the Episcopal Church headquarters in New York.  The deputies voted to sell the 815 Second Avenue building; then the bishops voted to move but not sell.  That proposal, D016, now goes back to the deputies for consideration.