Episcopal church agrees to 'resist' illegal alien laws

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Virginia Episcopalians tangled over immigration yesterday, finally passing a resolution committing the 86,000-member diocese to resisting the "criminalization of persons providing humanitarian assistance to migrants."

Meeting at the Reston Hyatt for their annual council meeting, Episcopalians passionately debated whether they should "resist legislation and actions that violate our fundamental beliefs as Christians."

The resolution, "Working for a Just and Humane Legal Immigration Policy," also includes a provision that the council "opposes recent efforts by some local governments within our diocese to implement policies that deny rights, privileges and services to immigrants."

The Virginia Assembly is considering multiple bills this year that target illegal aliens. One would prohibit illegal aliens from attending state colleges. Others would allow an employer to fire anyone not speaking English on the job and mandate that people provide proof of citizenship before getting a driver's license.

The biggest debate was over whether to insert the word "legal" into the resolution's title.

"We do not support the blatant disregard of the laws of the United States," said William Murphy, a council delegate from Louisa. "The church should be in the position of supporting secular law."

David Jones Jr., a delegate from Burke, reminded delegates of what immigration law looks like on the ground.

"Much of what's being done at the local level is taking away the rights, privileges and programs that apply to children," Mr. Jones said. "They can't go to teen programs; in some cases, they can't go to school or get library cards. Local governments are acting as demagogues and trying to shift responsibility away from themselves."

Delegates voted 287-160 against removing the word "legal."

In other business, the council finalized a $4.7 million budget and deferred a proposed resolution approving the ordination of clergy with same-sex partners. Instead, it elected to "commit to a process of discernment and reflection" on the issue.

Delegates also got a pep talk yesterday from Suffragan Bishop David C. Jones reminding them to give more to the diocese, which is financially strapped. The diocese has taken out a $2 million line of credit to fund its lawsuit against 11 churches that left a year ago over differences in biblical theology and the 2003 ordination of openly homosexual New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson.

"It is time during 2008 for each of our congregations to revisit financial commitments to the work that we share," Bishop Jones said.

But he pointed out that there is plenty about the diocese to commend.

"As I listen around the church, the one consistent theme I hear is that clergy want to be in the Diocese of Virginia," Bishop Jones said.