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(Preliminary draft of the resolution
as passed at the 2007 Diocesan Convention) Resolution #2- on Studying the Impact of Slavery 124 Submitted by John Vanderstar, St. Columba's, Deputy to General Convention 126 Resolved, that the One Hundred Twelfth Convention of the Diocese of Washington 127 endorse Resolutions A123 and A127, copies of which are attached, that were enacted 128 by General Convention in 2006; and be it further 129 Resolved, that this Diocese accept the Fifth Resolve of GC Resolution A123, 130 which 131 "urge(s) every Diocese to collect and document during the next triennium detailed 132 information in its community on (a) the complicity of the Episcopal Church in the 133 institution of slavery and in the subsequent history of segregation and discrimination 134 and (b) the economic benefits the Episcopal Church derived from the institution 135 of slavery." and assigns this task to 136 137 Resolved , that this Diocese accept the challenge of the Sixth Resolve of GC 138 Resolution A123, which seeks information and ideas on "how the Church can 139 be 'repairer of the breach' (Isaiah 58:12), both materially and relationally, and achieve 140 the spiritual healing and reconciliation that will lead us to a new life in Christ," 141 and assigns this task as well to 142 Resolved , that 143 on the foregoing subjects to the Anti-Racism Committee of the national Executive 144 Council.
Explanation: In enacting Resolutions A123 and A127, General Convention 2006 took a bold step in the ongoing effort to address racism in the Church and in the wider society, an effort that has been cited in pastoral letters issued by the House of Bishops in 1994 and in 2006 and in resolutions passed by several General Conventions. Until now, most anti-racism efforts have been directed mainly at the racism each of us suffers under as individuals. These two Resolutions begin a new approach, one that involves the Episcopal Church as an institution confronting its institutional racism, and specifically its complicity and participation in the ugly sin of slavery. The record of that complicity and participation is well documented, primarily in two books listed under "Resources" in the Explanation of Resolution A123:"Yet With A Steady Beat," by Harold T. Lewis, and "Episcopalians and Race: Civil War To Civil Rights," by Gardiner H. Shattuck, Jr. For example, the Episcopal Bishop of Virginia is reported in the Lewis book (at p. 43) to have said this to a gathering of slaves in the mid-19 th century: Almighty God hath been pleased to make you slaves here, and to give you nothing but labor and poverty in this world, which you are obliged to submit to, as it is in His will that it should be so. If therefore, you would be God's freemen in Heaven, you must be good and strive to serve Him here on earth. I say that what faults you are guilty of towards your masters and mistresses are faults done against God himself, who hath set your masters and mistresses over you in His own stead, and expects you to do for them just as you would do for Him. Even after slavery ended officially, for the next century the Episcopal Church stoutly resisted steps designed to bring the freed slaves and their descendants as equals into American society. It took the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, which woke America up to this continuing evil, to wake up the Church. These Resolutions seek to address this longstanding wrong. The Resolutions express the Church's apology and its profound regret for its actions and omissions. The Church repents of this sin and asks God's grace and forgiveness. But the Resolutions do more. They ask (1) that the facts regarding the Church's actions and omissions be determined and (2) that steps be taken to "repair the breach" (Isaiah 58:12), "both materially and relationally," so that the Church can "achieve
the spiritual healing and reconciliation that will lead us to a new life in Christ." Moreover, the Resolutions ask that this be done on a Diocese-by-Diocese basis, rather than by one national study. It is thought that the facts are more readily ascertainable
by local people researching local sources and that the very process of searching for facts, including story-telling by affected individuals, will itself have a cathartic effect. The Resolution proposed for action by the One Hundred Twelfth Convention of this Diocese seeks to move this process forward in the Diocese of Washington. The Committee on Racial Reconciliation established by Diocesan Council seems ideally suited to carry out these assignments. It is already required to report to Diocesan Council annually on its work. This Resolution requires that copies of its reports also be sent to the Anti-Racism Committee of the national Executive Council, which is charged by the underlying General Convention Resolutions with the task of monitoring and coordinating these efforts by dioceses and reporting thereon to Executive Council. Budget Impact: There may or may not be a budget impact depending on the approach taken and scope of the collection and documentation of relevant information. Recommendation: The Resolutions Committee recommends this resolution Background Resolutions or Other Actions: Resolution A123 - Slavery and Racial Reconciliation Resolved , That the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church declare unequivocally that Resolved , That The Episcopal Church acknowledge its history of participation in this sin and the deep and lasting injury which the institution of slavery and its aftermath have inflicted on society and on the Church; and be it further Resolved , That we express our most profound regret that (a) The Episcopal Church lent the institution of slavery its support and justification based on Scripture, and (b) after slavery was formally abolished, the Episcopal Church continued for at least a century to support de jure and de facto segregation and discrimination; and be it further Resolved , That The Episcopal Church apologize for its complicity in and the injury done by the institution of slavery and its aftermath; we repent of this sin and ask God's grace and forgiveness; and be it further Resolved , That the 75 th General Convention of The Episcopal Church through the Executive Council urgently initiate a comprehensive program and urge every Diocese to collect and document during the next triennium detailed information in its community on (a) the complicity of the Episcopal Church in the institution of slavery and in the subsequent history of segregation and discrimination and (b) the economic benefits The Episcopal Church derived from the institution of slavery; and direct the Committee on Anti-Racism to monitor this program and report to Executive Council each year by March 31 on the progress in each Diocese; and be it further Resolved , That to enable us as people of God to make a full, faithful and informed accounting of our history, the 75 th General Convention of The Episcopal Church direct the Committee on Anti-Racism to study and report to Executive Council by March 31, 2008, which in turn will report to the 76 th General Convention, on how the Church can be "the repairer of the breach" (Isaiah 58:12), both materially and relationally, and achieve the spiritual healing and reconciliation that will lead us to a new life in Christ; and be it further Resolved , That to mark the commencement of this program the Presiding Bishop is requested to name a Day of Repentance and on that day to hold a Service of Repentance at the National Cathedral, and each Diocese is requested to hold a similar service. Explanation: Other institutions have addressed their failures in various respects with regard to slavery and its aftermath, including an apology issued by the U.S. Senate for not having enacted federal anti- lynching legislation during the post-Civil-War period. The United Methodists in Alabama recently led a walk to a Birmingham church as part of a service to repent of racial injustice and to pledge to be more inclusive. In addition some dioceses, such as, Chicago , Maryland , and Newark have undertaken a study of the concept of reparations. It is important to recognize that much of the U.S. economy was built on the basis of slave labor. There are plenty of data that prove beyond doubt that African Americans are a disproportionate part of the nation's poor. No one who is paying attention can fail to recognize that race discrimination is still very much part of the fabric of life in our nation and in our Church. Sometimes it is subtle, sometimes it is inadvertent, but it is plainly there. This resolution complements anti-racism training and other activities that are promoting justice and racial reconciliation in the Episcopal Church. Resolution A127 - Restorative Justice Resolved , That the 75 th General Convention of The Episcopal Church endorse the principles of restorative justice, an important tool in implementing a neutral articulation of the self-examination and amendment of life that is required to fulfill our baptismal covenant; and be it further Resolved , That the 75 th Convention, in support of and to enhance Resolution A123, call upon the Anti-Racism Committee of Executive Council to design a study and dialogue process and materials in order to engage the people of The Episcopal Church in storytelling about historical and present-day privilege and under-privilege as well as discernment towards restorative justice and the call to fully live into our baptismal covenant; and be it further Resolved , That in the spirit of inclusion, dioceses also be invited to determine whether their call Resolved , That the dioceses will give a progress report to the Anti-Racism Committee. The Anti-Racism Committee will report their findings and recommendations to the Standing Commission on National Concerns and to Executive Council and to the 76 th General Convention; and be it further Resolved , That the Church hold before itself the vision of a Church without racism; a Church for all races. Explanation: It is time for the Church community to collectively engage in reckoning with the full impact of racism, historically and in present day. Reconciliation and restorative justice are best achieved when they emerge from an honest examination and shared understanding of inequity and marginalization in Church and society. This resolution proposes that the Church build on the model of Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa adding the third step of Justice to insure that action follows healing dialogue. Because the direct perpetrators and victims of historic injustices such as African slavery and Native American genocide are no longer living, this initiative will focus on the question of what do we as inheritors of under-privilege and privilege need to face together in Christ in order to be made whole. An important tool in implementing this intentionally comprehensive process are the principles of restorative justice which provide a neutral articulation of the self-examination and amendment of life that is required to fulfill our baptismal covenant. Particular emphasis will be placed on inspiring both whites and people of color in ways that recognize and honor their ethnic, cultural and historical backgrounds. Both the healing process and the corrective actions which follow must occur at all levels of the church, both corporately and individually. Finally, by engaging in these processes internally, the Church will be in a position to take moral leadership in calling on the nation to engage in such processes. In this vein, the Church would specifically call on congress to create a process of exploration, dialogue and problem-solving around the history and legacy of slavery.
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