Clergy at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, are opting out of performing civil marriages until gay couples can legally wed–and are encouraging other clergy to do likewise, according to the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector.
“At the heart of Jesus’s moral vision and All Saints’ historic mission is respecting the dignity of every human being,” Bacon said in a June 3 press release announcing the decision, which is effective immediately.
“The California Supreme Court in its recent opinion has ruled that those of same-gender affections are second-class citizens,” Bacon added. “Denying fundamental rights to a certain classification of humanity is blatant discrimination with which our governing board, the other clergy of All Saints, and I will not participate. We invite other clergy and congregations to join us in this stand for marriage equality.”
Well, that’s the first thing I’ve ever seen that wasn’t improved by the application of Bacon. Yet another cordless bungee jump into the abyss of lunatic ideas. These people couldn’t possibly clear their buildings faster if they had set fire to them.
It is curious that they have been doing “same-sex blessings” for almost a decade, contrary to Scriptures and U. S. law. Yet now that the CA Supreme Court has recognized it, they now call it discrimination because a distinction has been made between Civil Union and Marriage by the state.
It seems to me that “At the heart of Jesus’s moral vision” is “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, all thy soul, all thy mind, etc.”
While it is true that we are encouraged to respect the fact that all humans are God’s creation, it is the Creator whom we are to worship.
Who cares? I would take a different tack than Jeffersonian’s humorous one in #1 and say the civil marriage environment in California just got a lot better by this church’s disappearance from it. Now we can only hope he’ll also decide to opt of running a church until he gets his way. By the way, I didn’t know 3-year-olds could be Episcopalian priests.
I have never understood this “holding the sacraments hostage until we get our way” mentality. It always comes off to me like the petulant 6 year old who doesn’t want to play the game unless he can win, so he takes the ball and goes home.
Why don’t they put their money where their mouth is and not have church until they get their way?
Utter silliness.
One article about Prop 8 stated that 29 “marriages” were performed by All Saints during the legal window of time. Did Bruno know about those marriages? I am sure it was all “wink, wink, say no more.”
To paraphrase Captain Renault, “I am shocked, shocked to hear that All Saints Pasadena is (pick one) blessing same-sex marriage against the word of God/withholding civil marriages from those heterosexuals who are seeking God’s blessing on their union.”
If it hadn’t made sense til now that some churches regard Anglican orders as less than *real* and their sacraments a little less than effective, this might make you give a second thought. The thing that is amusing is to think of how many people this dosen’t effect at all. Does anyone think there are going to be dozens of earnest non-shacked-up Anglican (straight) couples who will be living in chastity til this is resolved? Oh, the humanity…The asceticism!
Just go to the land office for a wedding. At the moment Caesar believes far more than the Anglican parish, and isn’t nearly so silly. Notice the great self importance of this act. It assumes they have something to offer! It’s difficult to withold what no one wants, isn’t it? Like the “Open Communion” that exists everywhere in ECUSA. Who exactly wants it from them?
#6 … it was 46 marriages of same-sex couples between June 17 and November 4.
#6 … it was 46 pretend marriages of same-sex couples between June 17 and November 4.
The article says they are still performing marriages. They just aren’t signing the certificates to be filed with the civil authorities. So from a religious perspective, they are still doing the objectionable part.
Maybe they’ll stop bogus baptisms and eucharists as well…
Baptism, for those at All Saints-Pasadena, is a ticket to Heaven…..fire insurance. It does not involve admitting guilt, no repentance, no promise to amend sinful behavior and follow God’s Commandments….certainly, it involves no change. It is a free ride to “do whatever I want because God is always loving and will forgive.”
Hasn’t ETS been refusing to marry anyone for a few years now in its chapel?
Hard to believe Ed Bacon+ is from Macon, GA.
RE: “the civil marriage environment in California just got a lot better by this church’s disappearance from it.”
Yep. The fact that this parish is opting “out of civil marriages” is fantastic news.
RE: “Did Bruno know about those marriages?”
Heh.
RobRoy, the precise words from Bruno to the New York Times reporter were “it does not happen in my diocese with my permission.”
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/6294/
What a fine, upstanding bishop of integrity, courage, and honor Bishop Bruno is. ; > )
If they meant it they would all fast absolutely to the death….if need be. But of course, they are episcopalian……………………………..so much easier to posture.
Hakkatan, see #2. Larry
But a church should not be doing civil “marriages” at all under any circumstances. This threat, if carried out, will put TEC on the right side of the law, for the First Amendment should keep them out of the civil marriage business at all. Annd prop 8, (see #2) makes it clear that there are in this category two separate entities, civil partnerships and marriages properly so called. There is only one marriage now in Cal. and it is sacramental. Which is, I submit, exactly the way it should be. Larry
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!…
“Woe to you, blind guides!…
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!..
“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? …
Yep — really, really clear that “At the heart of Jesus’s moral vision … is respecting the dignity of every human being..”
Well,
Fr. Bacon’s views are his views, and to me seem questionable. However, for his assistant to publicly confess to celebrating illegal weddings seems actionable…but then, that’s the heart of civil disobedience. Perhaps someone will now contact the proper authorities? And Jeffersonians comment about bacon was very funny, IMO.
All Saints seems to have quite a tidy little business in the gay marriage racket. Money makes the world go round, so it’s said.