Episcopal bishops in the six states that have legalized same-sex marriage are asking the Church's General Convention to "permit the adaptation of the Pastoral Offices for The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage and The Blessing of a Civil Marriage for use with all couples who seek the church's support and God's blessing in their marriages."
The legislation is being proposed by Bishop Stephen T. Lane of Maine. Sponsors include: Bishops Andrew Smith, Laura Ahrens and James Curry of Connecticut; Bishop Alan Scarfe of Iowan; Bishops Thomas Shaw, Roy Cederholm and Gayle Harris of Massachusetts; Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire and Bishop Thomas Ely of Vermont.Resolved, That in those dioceses, under the direction of the bishop, generous discretion is extended to clergy in the exercise of their pastoral ministry in order to permit the adaptation of the Pastoral Offices for The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage and The Blessing of a Civil Marriage for use with all couples who seek the church's support and God's blessing in their marriages; and be it further
Resolved, That in order to build a body of experience for the benefit of the church, each bishop in those dioceses where this pastoral practice is exercised provide an annual written report on their experience to the House of Bishops each March and to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for its report to the 77th General Convention.
OK Presbyterian writers of resolutions, do we need something similar for the next General Assembly? Or are we hampered by that task force on same-gender blessings or whatever? In other words, how do we get this rockin'?
Or, do we even need anything? Can we just marry gay and lesbian couples anyway? I know we can (just do it) but will doing so also win in ye olde church court?
Just do it.
ReplyDeleteNo. I didn't say that. I don't know nuthin'.
Yeah, I think someone should just do it. (Not me, however, we've already got the Northside Amendment to shepherd.)
ReplyDeleteWhy wait for a committee that, at best will come out with a series of recommendations that will be completely ignored (eg PUP). They're already wiggling around talking about "descriptive" rather than "proscriptive" language in the report, etc., etc., etc.
Has any of these committees ever done us a bit of good?
Now, we might be surprised at the committee's report. But it's better to be prepared than surprised.