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Loading ...Episcopal bishops OK prayer for gay couples
07.16.2009 9:12am EDT
(Anaheim, Calif.) Episcopal bishops authorized the church Wednesday to start drafting an official prayer for same-sex couples, another step toward acceptance of gay relationships that will deepen the rift between the denomination and its fellow Anglicans overseas.
The bishops voted 104-30 at the Episcopal General Convention to “collect and develop theological resources and liturgies” for blessing same-gender relationships, which would be considered at the next national meeting in 2012.The resolution notes the growing number of states that allow gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships, and gave bishops in those regions discretion to provide a “generous pastoral response” to couples in local parishes.
Many Episcopal dioceses already allow clergy to bless same-sex couples but there is no official liturgy for the ceremonies in the denomination’s Book of Prayer. The measure still needs the approval of the lay people and priest delegates at the assembly, which ends Friday.
“We certainly feel a deep need to be able to proclaim the love of God in the midst of a changing reality,” said Suffragan Bishop James Curry of the Diocese of Connecticut, one of six states that are legalizing same-gender marriage.
A day earlier, the convention had declared gays and lesbians eligible for “any ordained ministry,” even though Anglican leaders had sought a clear moratorium on consecrating another gay bishop. The vote effectively lifted a self-imposed Episcopal pledge from three years ago to use “restraint” in approving another bishop in a same-sex relationship.
The Episcopal Church, which is the Anglican body in the U.S., caused an uproar in 2003 by consecrating the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
To calm tensions and keep the global Anglican Communion together, Anglican leaders five years ago pressed Episcopalians for a temporary ban on electing gay bishops, and asked that the church refrain from developing an official prayer service for same-sex couples.
At the start of the convention last week, the Anglican spiritual leader, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, told delegates, “I hope and pray that there won’t be decisions in the coming days that could push us further apart.”
A spokeswoman for Williams said Wednesday that he would not comment.
The 77 million-member communion is the third-largest grouping of churches worldwide, behind Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches.
Most overseas Anglicans believe Scripture bars same-sex relationships and disagree with how liberals interpret the Bible on a wide range of issues. Liberal Anglicans emphasize biblical social justice teachings and believe their fellowship can contain conflicting views.
Last month, breakaway Episcopal conservatives and other like-minded traditionalists formed a rival national province to the Episcopal Church called the Anglican Church in North America.
The new body includes four seceding Episcopal dioceses and is supported by several overseas Anglican leaders who have broken ties with the Episcopal Church.
Episcopal conservatives who have stayed with the denomination lamented the latest votes and predicted the already splintering Anglican fellowship would fracture.
“For many, this is the final straw with members of the wider Anglican Communion,” said Bishop William Love of Albany, N.Y. “It’s breaking my heart to see the church destroy itself in the manner in which we seem to be doing.”
This is great news … now I can have my big Church wedding that I have dreamed of.
And, as a lifelong Episcopalian, I am proud that my Church is showing the way forward for others.
Please remember people, in light of the pressures to hold the Church together, and maintain “relations” with other Anglicans in the world, this was a very courageous decision.
Now how about the argument that the Episcopal church wants their gay relationships recognized.
I salute the courage of Episcopal Church leaders for making it clear they will not sit on the fence. They recognize that God welcomes and calls LGBT people and that the homophobia of the religious right is a defiance and disobedience of Gospel values.
If this causes further division within the Anglican Communion, that is unfortunate, but would not be avoided even if the churches in the United States and Canada continue to sit on the fence. True Christians do not accept or compromise with fear-raising and bigotry.
It takes courage to do the right thing, especially when faced with so much opposition , i applaud this church and the bishops who voted 104-30 at the Episcopal General Convention to “collect and develop theological resources and liturgies” for blessing same-gender relationships
The sad thing is, the reason they’re doing this is to attract gays and liberals- both of which are beggining to overtake the old-fashioned and outdated social conservatives, at least in America.
The Episcopalian church is slowly but very surely dying. The local Episcopalian church had 200+ members just 5 years ago. This year it has 9.
I’d love to join, because I grew up Catholic and loved everything about it except for the whole anti-gay policy, but something tells me they are rapidly headed towards insignificance unless a bunch of us decide to convert. Depressing, since this could’ve had an enourmous impact if they did this even 5 years ago.
Bravo to those Anglican/Episcopal bishops who put common sense and compassion ahead of the barbaric philosophy of the third-world bishops who are steeped in the most insidious form of ignorance and backwardness. Civilization has taken another step forward.
Bob – I don’t know where you live, but here in Southeast Alabama, we have three Episcopal Churches in a 25 mile radius. Each is fully solvent, and has many, many members. If fact, membership continues to grow.
There are also many gay and lesbian members at all three churches as the Church’s openess to LGBT people has made them a “beacon of light,” especially living in a place where there is a Baptist or “independent” church on what seems like every corner.
I urge every LGBT Christian who has ever considered going to Church to visit your local Episcopal Church just to see how it is. One word of warning – make sure you visit the Episcopal Church, and not an Anglican Church (the breakaway conservatives).
I am very proud to be an Episcopalian and am on the local governing body or our church and am openly gay, with my partner of 12 years. The Diocese of Mississippi (yes, Mississippi!) hosts an annual Inclusion conference at our conference center near Jackson, MS led by Gay clergy from around the country. It is a major highlight each year for the both of us and we have made some truly wonderful friends as a result. Anyone in North MS (aka: south, south Memphis) should seriously consider joining our very active, very vibrant and very accepting congregation. When I told my preist, years ago, that I was gay his response to me was, and I quote: “So?” “I have a meeting to get to, are we done here?” It was a pivotal moment in my life, so thank you Father Renea! And thank you to the couragous Episcopal church were we believe in Tradition, Scripture and Reason (and the words are not prescribed any specific order, for a very good reason).
They still aren’t talking about allowing gay marriages in the church. At the end of the day, they are still Christians and don’t want to fully accept gays in the church.
Blessing of same-gender relationships is not nearly the same as performing gay marriages in the church.
All 50 states should allow CIVIL MARRIAGE “any two (2) adult persons to marry”
I want CIVIL MARRIAGE – NOT RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Religious groups do not have to be forced to perform them.
This is great news, especially since they risked so much to make this happen. First, gay ministers and now gay unions! This vote makes a big difference coming from a 2+ million member mainstream denomination.
The margin of the vote was so large, I think we’ll be seeing more pro-LGBT decisions from the Episcopal church in the future. The Episcopalians could be the next UCC, and twice as large at that. I think it’s a really good thing that the conservatives left. I may not be an official member, but today, I’m an Episcopalian
My understanding is that this is same-sex marriage. The Anglican church in Canada has the same thing. They bless same-sex marriages and refer to the partners as “spouses.” It’s marriage equality at the church level.
This raises an encouraging possibility: the Episcopal church can sue the government for religious freedom. By refusing to recognise and provide equal benefits for same-sex marriages, the government is preventing the Episcopal Church from practicing its faith. Church ministers cannot provide the “generous pastoral response” that they believe God calls them to provide.
Of course, other denominations can make the same argument: the UCC, the Quakers, the Unitarian Universalists, the Reformed and Conservative Jews, and so on. It’s basically the argument that won marriage equality in Canada.