The Episcopal Church made good on vows by its leaders to take vigorous action against systemic racism, passing a number of resolutions aimed at promoting racial reconciliation — and electing minority candidates to two key churchwide positions — at its 80th general convention, a gathering of nearly 1,300 representatives that was to wrap up its legislative duties Monday in Baltimore.
It took the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, the governing bodies of the Episcopal Church in the U.S., little time to approve what was perhaps the most widely publicized of the more than 400 resolutions it considered during the convention. Both overwhelmingly approved a proposal to set aside about $2 million a year to create a churchwide coalition for racial equality and justice.
Made up of a voluntary association of Episcopal dioceses, organizations and individuals, the group is to “facilitate, coordinate, encourage, support and network” efforts in support of “racial justice and equity and the dismantling of white supremacy” inside and outside the church.
