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New Theological Publication Examines Baptism, Sexuality and the Anglican Communion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
contact: Rebecca Wilson, 330-524-2067, rebeccaswilson@sbcglobal.net
NEW THEOLOGICAL PUBLICATION EXAMINES
BAPTISM, SEXUALITY AND THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION
Chicago Consultation Contributes to Theology of Full Inclusion
CHICAGO, June 22, 2009—The Chicago Consultation has released a new publication, titled We Will, With God’s Help: Perspectives on Baptism, Sexuality and the Anglican Communion. The compilation of essays, published in booklet form, has been mailed to all bishops and General Convention deputies and is available online at www.chicagoconsultation.org. The booklet will also be available at the Chicago Consultation’s General Convention booth, #116.
We Will, With God’s Help contains essays based on three theological papers given at the Chicago Consultation’s February 2009 meeting. The volume’s introduction, written by the Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers, explains that the Chicago Consultation’s work “has been grounded in the twin beliefs that the Anglican Communion is, at its best, a manifestation of the body of Christ in which the Holy Spirit blesses members from different cultures and contexts with various gifts and charisms; and that chief among the gifts of the Episcopal Church is our rich and robust theology of baptism and our baptismal covenant.” Meyers is the co-convener of the Chicago Consultation, professor of liturgics at Seabury Western Theological Seminary, and a General Convention deputy from the Diocese of Chicago.
The essays in We Will, With God’s Help are written by three prominent Episcopal Church theologians: Dr. Fredrica Harris Thompsett, Mary Wolfe Professor Emerita of historical theology at the Episcopal Divinity School; the Very Rev. Dr. William H. Petersen, provost and professor of ecclesiastical and ecumenical history at Bexley Hall Seminary; and the Rev. Dr. A. Katherine Grieb, professor of New Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary. “From different perspectives,” says Meyers, “their writing explores baptism as a covenant of reconciliation. This covenant requires us to deepen our commitment to our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Communion and also support the development of rites to bless same-sex unions and the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in all orders of ministry.”
By releasing We Will, With God’s Help, Meyers says that the Chicago Consultation intends to contribute to further study and also urge the church to take action. “In the Anglican tradition, common prayer is a foundation for theological reflection,” says Meyers. “Over the past three decades, a number of theologians have published books and articles about same sex relationships; the bibliography in We Will, With God’s Help lists just a few of them. Developing common rites to bless same-sex unions will provide us with new experiences that will engender further theological development.”
“The Chicago Consultation believes that Christ’s work of reconciliation calls the Episcopal Church to move forward now with the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the life and ministry of the church and to continue cultivating relationships with our sisters and brothers in the worldwide Anglican Communion. We believe that now it is time to say together, ‘We will, with God’s help.’”
The Chicago Consultation, a group of Episcopal and Anglican bishops, clergy and lay people, supports the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Christians in the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion. We believe that our baptismal covenant requires this. To learn more about the Chicago Consultation, please visit www.chicagoconsultation.org.
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