Bishop Chane of Wash.–the implementation of the Marriage Equality Act in the District of Columbia
Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, --Civil Unions & Partnerships, Episcopal Church (TEC), Ethics / Moral Theology, Law & Legal Issues, Liturgy, Music, Worship, Marriage & Family, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Pastoral Theology, Sexuality, TEC Bishops, Theology
That’s weird…I thought Bonnie Anderson and KJS wrote all the Anglican primates [i]from GenCon[/i] last year, reassuring them that DO25 and CO56 were basically inconsequential resolutions which wouldn’t re-define marriage within TEC.
Hm.
I can only imagine their chagrin, once they hear about this startling development in the Diocese of Washington. If only their letters were peer-reviewed before being released to the plebes, it could have saved them a whole lot of embarassment.
The only real scandal is the continued inaction (and the resulting approval because of their inaction) of the ABC and the AC itself. Jesus summed it up nicely: “Matthew 23:27 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”
I guess that whole “Book of Common Prayer” thing about “husband and wife” and “man” and “woman” is just passe. It doesn’t really matter what the Church teaches any longer, we just get to make it up as we go along.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
If I read Bishop Chane’s pastoral direction correctly the bishop’s permission and permission from the church vestry is required for all same-sex marriages. Episcopal clergy from states where same-sex marriage is not authorized may not officiate in Washington. An inference is that the bishop’s office should have a record of all same-sex marriages in Episcopal churches in the District.
As an act of reconciliation perhaps Bishop Chane could pick up the health care pemiums for the spouses of employees of Catholic Charities.
Oh, Deacon Phil #3, what they do at the ceremonies is read the marriage service from the ’79 Prayer Book and simply change all the pronouns.
I simply want to quote from the BCP without comment:
“Christian Marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God.” (BCP 422)
“Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and his Church, and Holy Scripture commends it to be honored among all people.” (BCP 423)