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House of Bishops affirms commitment to upholding General Convention Resolution D034

March 18, 2019
Office of Public Affairs

The House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church met in retreat at Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, N.C. March 12 – 15, 2019. At their March 15 business meeting, the House passed a resolution committing itself to upholding General Convention Resolution D034, which suspends for three years the canon (church law) that limits to a period of ten years the initiating of proceedings in cases of clergy sexual misconduct against adults. The church has no time limit on reporting clergy sexual misconduct against children and youth under age 21.

The resolution affirms that the bishops are “intent on having robust pastoral response in all matters regarding sexual misconduct regardless of when that alleged misconduct occurred.”

The text of the resolution follows:

Whereas, our canons provide that “[b]y virtue of Baptism, all members of the Church are called to holiness of life and accountability to one another,” and “[t]he Church and each Diocese shall support their members in their life in Christ and seek to resolve conflicts by promoting healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life and reconciliation,” (Canon IV.1),

Therefore it is

RESOLVED that this House, meeting at Kanuga Conference Center March 12-15, supports the commitment of its members to providing a “robust pastoral response” to allegations of sexual misconduct regardless of how long ago such alleged misconduct occurred.