This is a motion for the upcoming ACSQ synod. 6. Apology to LGBTIQA+ people The Rev’d Dr Peter Catt to move; The Rev’d Deborah Bird seconding: That this Synod, noting Motion 18 Synod 2022 and in response to the same, offers the following apology to LGBTQIA+ people on behalf the Anglican Church Southern Queensland: The Anglican Church Southern Queensland: Recognises and rejoices in the image of God as reflected in every human being, as expressed in people of every race, social circumstance, gender identity and sexual orientation. Acknowledges the pain felt by sexuality-diverse and gender-diverse people who feel like second class citizens because they cannot marry in the Anglican Church of Australia. Apologises to sexuality-diverse and gender-diverse people for the times when: 1. We have not accepted that you are who you are; 2. We have denigrated you; 3. We have excluded you from baptism, holy communion, holy unction and the community of the Anglican Church; 4. We have supported the criminalisation of your sexuality; 5. We have advocated for and/or condoned the practices known as ‘Conversion Therapy’; 6. We have isolated you and subjected you to mistreatment; 7. We have not spoken up to protect you from violence and exclusion. Apologises to the family members and friends of sexuality-diverse and gender-diverse people for the times when: • Our treatment of your loved ones has hurt you; • We have failed to grieve or celebrate with you over the challenges and achievements of the ones you love; • We have silenced or mistreated you. Undertakes to: • Pray together in humility; • Affirm our common humanity as we walk together in following Jesus Christ in our Church; • Recognise the diversity among us and the ministry of each person who volunteers and works in and for The Anglican Church Southern Queensland; • Listen to you; • Stand with you against injustice and marginalisation; • Live into the expectations outlined in Faithfulness in Service and the Being Together document, endorsed by this Diocese, about how we relate to one another as equal members of the Body of Christ.
This is a serious mess of a motion. Some people are waiting to jump on any passing bandwagon and can spout the required words but this has little relation to reality. The blanket apology to a heterogeneous group of people for a laundry list of imagined wrongs. In 40 years as an Anglican I don't recall witnessing one of the 7 points in the apology. It is an apology for things that weren't done on behalf of people who didn't do them.
I suppose one might say though that we Anglicans are THE Body of Christ, and as such if any individual among us IS guilty of holding and expressing the attitudes and judgments mentioned, then we ALL bear responsibility for them and their judgment. If one member dishonours Christ, then we are all dishonoured and, as a body, should be prepared to apologise. We are in no position as redeemed servants of the servant, to sit in judgment on others we consider more sinful than ourselves, neither is The Body of Christ or any member of it. Having said that though, I think I agree with you that: .
We had a similar motion made at our diocesan synod last year. There was a lot of heated debate over the issue and the Bishop finally tabled the motion until this year in the hope that tempers would have cooled and there could a more reasoned debate about how to word such a motion. I am not sure it really belongs in a synod motion, but I can understand the deep feelings involved. I am just glad the bishop was smart enough to see that things were getting out of hand and to put the brakes on, at least for awhile. I am not attending the synod this year but wonder if it will be any less contentious.
More Information Report to Synod from The LGBTIQA+ Apology Committee A report from the members of the ACSQ Diocesan Council-commissioned LGBTIQA+ Apology Committee outlining the process undertaken to craft the words of the apology and suggesting a way forward for the members of Synod. Background The words of the apology have been developed at the request of Synod in response to number 3 of the following 2022 motion passed by the Synod of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland: “That this Synod, noting Resolution R82/18 of the General Synod of Australia, in which the General Synod apologised to members of the LGBTIQ+ community for‘disrespectful, hurtful, intentionally insensitive, bullying or abusive behaviour’ and committed the Church to working towards creating safe churches for members of theLGBTIQ+ community: 1. affirms the statement made at this year's General Synod in Resolution R82/18 that we ‘recognise and rejoice in the image of God as reflected in every human being, regardless of race, social circumstances, creed or sexual identity’, 2. acknowledges that the Church’s attitudes and behaviours have created and are creating trauma and affirms efforts to support those so affected, 3. requests Diocesan Council to work in consultation with members of the LGBTIQ+ community towards crafting an apology to members of the LGBTIQ+ community on behalf of this diocese, and bringing a report and the apology for endorsement by Synod, 4. requests Diocesan Council, parishes, schools and agencies to work with LGBTIQ+ Anglicans to explore ways to build safer, inclusive and affirming communities.” The General Synod resolution R82/18 is that “General Synod — 1. Deplores and condemns any behaviour that is disrespectful, hurtful, intentionally insensitive, bullying or abusive, and recognises and rejoices in the image of God as reflected in every human being, regardless of race, social circumstances, creed or sexual identity, and apologises to and seeks forgiveness from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) persons whom we have treated in this way. Commits itself to fostering churches and fellowships where compassion and grace abound and where the love of God is expressed to all, so that our churches and ministries are welcoming, safe and respectful of all people. The Diocesan synod motion of 2022 indicates the importance of the apology coming from the whole Synod, not just from individual senior Church leaders on behalf of the Church. Diocesan Council established a committee with a reasonably broad representation, which consists of The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt, The Ven Geoff Hoyte, The Ven David Ruthven, Dr Nadine, Garraway, The Rev’d Deborah Bird, The Rev’d Dr Margaret Wesley and The Rev’d Canon Gary Harch. Developing the words: listening and responding Over the last two years, the committee has listened to the experiences that many LGBTIQ+ people and their loved ones have had with the Anglican Church Southern Queensland. We realised crafting an apology was not a process that should be rushed, as there was painful history and many experiences to hear, as well as nuances to be understood. We have been on a theological and pastoral journey with one another and with those who have had the courage to share their journeys. While we cannot share all those experiences with members of Synod, we hope that having some appreciation of our journey will enable the members of Synod to understand how the words were developed and the importance they have to those to whom the apology is directed. The acknowledgements and statements that we make in the proposed apology are general; some are in regard to the Church as a whole, and some are in regard to particular members, agencies or policies. We do not claim that all members of the church have always behaved in ways that have caused pain but accept the need to take responsibility for the times when we, or our predecessors, have behaved in such ways. Apologies at their best are responses generated by those who have done harm in response to listening carefully to the experience of those who have been harmed. They exist for the benefit of those who have been harmed; signaling to them that their experience has been appreciated, their voice heard and that there is a commitment by those who caused harm to behave differently in the future. Those who offer the apology receive a gift as well in form of being able to live a life free from causing harm to others. We believe that the wording has been carefully and sensitively formed to respond directly to the stories of hurt and exclusion that many people experienced over decades within the Anglican Church Southern Queensland. This is because those who contributed to the listening process have had an opportunity to hear and respond to the wording of the apology and have indicated that it contains the words they need to hear. The apology is focused on the people who have been hurt, rather than on those offering the apology. And critically, we wish firstly to cause no more harm. The purpose of the motion containing the words of the apology is to offer an apology for hurt caused, and not to open for further debate the issues of human sexuality and gender. As people of God in this part of Queensland we hope this apology will help heal the wounds and guide future behaviour. We anticipate that Synod will allow the motion containing the words of the apology to be dealt with as an Order of the day.
Chiefly I think that this motion implies that items 1-7 have been normal practice in the ACSQ. As I said above, they are not. With the possible exception that the ACSQ has advocated conversion therapy for children and teenagers with gender dysphoria. When a synod rep I spoke against this practice. It turns out I was on the right side of history; worldwide these practices are being rolled back.