Resolution on Christian Sexual Ethics
That sexual intercourse should take place only between a
man and a woman who are married to each other.
That fornication, adultery, and homosexual acts are sinful
in all circumstances.
That Christian leaders are called to be exemplary in all
spheres of morality, including sexual morality, as a condition of being appointed
or remaining in office.
That the Church is called upon to show Christ-like compassion
to those who have fallen into sexual sin, encouraging them to repent and receive
forgiveness, and offering the ministry of healing to all who suffer physically
or emotionally as a result of such sin.
Adopted by the 46th General Council of the Reformed Episcopal
Church
Meeting at St. Mark's Reformed Episcopal Church, Jenkintown, PA, Wednesday,
May 23, 1990
© 1997, The Reformed Episcopal Church.
Resolution on Sanctity of Human Life
RESOLVED, that we, the Reformed Episcopal Church,
vigorously affirm the biblical teaching of the sanctity of human life, and
deplore the practice of permitting abortions, with the possible exception
of cases where it has been clearly established that the life of the mother
is in danger.
Based on a study done for the 97th Council of the New York
and Philadelphia Synod in 1978 (now the Diocese of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic).
This has been re-affirmed by the REC's General Councils of 1990 , 1993, and
1996 and continues to be the standard we adopt. The complete text of the study is available upon request from the office of Bishop Grote.
Adopted by the 46th General Council of the Reformed Episcopal
Church
Meeting at St. Mark's Reformed Episcopal Church, Jenkintown, PA, Wednesday,
May 23, 1990
© 1997, The Reformed Episcopal Church.
Resolution on Women in Combat
WHEREAS, the President and Congress have moved the United States military services to abandon their historic policy of limiting combat military service to males and are now recruiting, training and assigning women to combat roles; and
WHEREAS, God created man in His own image, as male and female with specific and complementary characteristics (Genesis 1:27), so that male and female in relation constitute a complete expression of the divine order of humanity; and
WHEREAS, the equality of male and female, as to dignity and worth arising from their creation in the image of God, is fully consistent with distinction of function between male and female; and
WHEREAS, the Church has understood the Scriptures to teach that the basic unit of society is the family, wherein the husband as head has the primary responsibility of leader, provider and sacrificial protector, and the wife has the primary responsibility of supporter, nurturer and life-giver (1 Corinthians 11:2-16; Ephesians 5:22-32); and
WHEREAS, it is the special gift of God to women that they bear children for the preservation of the human race and the glory of God, and the policy of placing women in combat is destructive to the exercise of that gift; and
WHEREAS, there is currently a bill before the United States Congress that would include women in the military draft, to which women in the Reformed Episcopal Church have conscientious objection; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church do with loyal respect and deep concern, warn against and oppose any laws and policies, which would substitute sexual interchangeability for the aforementioned complementary but distinct responsibilities of male and female; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we give deepest gratitude and honor to those courageous women who have served their country in military support roles, especially those who have served in harm’s way; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we commit our prayer support to all military members and families serving this great nation around the world; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we call upon the President, Congress and all military leaders to reverse the present policy and to restore the historic limitation of military combat service to males only.
Adopted by the Council of Bishops and General Committee of the Reformed Episcopal
Church
December 14, 2017
Resolution on the Potential Conscription of Women
Resolution On Selective Service Registration and Potential Conscription
of Women to Military Service
Reformed Episcopal Council of Bishops
WHEREAS, The Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church in their
2016 Resolution On Women in Combat expressed our biblical and
theological concerns regarding women in combat; and
WHEREAS, this concern prompted us to call upon the President,
Congress, and all military leaders to reverse the present policy and to
restore the historic limitation of military combat service to males only;
and
WHEREAS, this resolution was not heeded and women now serve in all
capacities including combat roles; and
WHEREAS, given the current political and cultural milieu, there is a
possibility that women may be included in Selective Service registration
and thus be susceptible to a military draft; and
WHEREAS, some of our female members may, on the basis of their
theological and biblical concerns, object to serving in the military
especially in combat roles.
Therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Bishops of the Reformed
Episcopal Church, do, with loyal respect and deep concern, voice our
objection to the registration of and potential conscription of women: and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we offer the teaching and pastoral offices
of this church to promote the biblical and theological standards set forth
in our 2016 Resolution on Woman in Combat; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we offer the teaching and pastoral offices
of this church to promote and instruct our members in their distinct
biblical duties as male and female; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we call upon members of the Reformed
Episcopal Church to resist the movement towards radical feminism and
to embrace the call of being biblically male and female filling distinct
roles as equal members of Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
Church.
Adopted by the Council of Bishops
2021