Title III.1.2 - C061

Before Fr. Jake's days' I didn't knowingly know any transgendered people. But through his former blog and TTLS, I have come to cyber-know several transgendered Episcopalians. And I'm glad that I have had that opportunity. Each is a wonderful person, and their comments and e-mails to me have been very spiritual. I hope C061 (Massachusetts) sails though the committees and houses with the same witness that the "other" resolutions this weekend did

C061 will amend Title III.1.2 in a further attempt to make the ordination process available to all members of this church.

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Title III, Canon 1, Sec. 2 of the Canons of the Episcopal Church is hereby amended to read as follows: No personnone All baptized persons noneshall be deniednone have full noneaccess to the discernment process for any ministry in this Churchnone, lay or ordained, in this Churchnone except as otherwise provided by these Canons. No person shall be denied access or have his or her discernment process terminated nonebecause of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expressionnone , disabilities or age, except as otherwise provided by these Canons. No right to licensing, ordination, or election is hereby established.

EXPLANATION

Title III, Canon 1, Sec. 2 of the Canons of the Episcopal Church states: "No person shall be denied access to the discernment process for any ministry, lay or ordained, in this Church because of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disabilities or age, except as otherwise provided by these Canons. No right to licensing, ordination, or election is hereby established." This resolution would revise this canon by adding "gender identity and expression" to this list of protected categories of access, but not of right.

This revision is based upon our increased understanding and practice to respect the human dignity of transgender people-- transsexuals, and others who differ from majority societal gender norms. Gender identity, in and of itself, should not be a basis for exclusion from consideration for the participation in the ministries of the Church.

Will some knowing person please explain to me why all these resolutions are underlined?