A bishop granted permission Tuesday for priests to bless committed relationships of same-sex couples in the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, a spokesperson said.
The Right Rev. Charles G. vonRosenburg authorized the use of “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant,” giving permission to priests to respond to couples who are in committed relationships, including those who have been married in states where same-sex marriage is allowed, according to Holly Behre, Director of Communications for the Episcopal Church of South Carolina.
Well, there’s a shocker.
This from the article. Direct quote:
“The Right Rev. Charles G. vonRosenburg authorized the use of “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant,” giving permission to priests to respond to couples who are in committed relationships, including those who have been married in states where same-sex marriage is allowed, according to Holly Behre, Director of Communications for the Episcopal Church of South Carolina.”
Holly Behre, Director of Communications for the Episcopal Church OF South Carolina????? Still pretending even as the trial starts?
Page capture copy and paste.
Episcopal Bishop grants permission for blessings of same-sex relationships
Posted: Jul 08, 2014 12:14 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 08, 2014 12:27 PM EDT
By Patrick Phillips – email
CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) –
A bishop granted permission Tuesday for priests to bless committed relationships of same-sex couples in the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, a spokesperson said.
The Right Rev. Charles G. vonRosenburg authorized the use of “The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant,” giving permission to priests to respond to couples who are in committed relationships, including those who have been married in states where same-sex marriage is allowed, according to Holly Behre, Director of Communications for the Episcopal Church of South Carolina.
South Carolina does not permit same-sex marriage, and any such blessing offered by an Episcopal priest will not constitute a “marriage,” Behre said.
No priest is required to offer the blessing, vonRosenburg said in a letter to clergy.
“I do want to be clear that the permission does not define an expectation for clergy,” the letter states. “In your own life of prayer and within community, you will decide how to respond to this statement of permission.”
Priests who wish to perform a blessing will not be required to receive further permission to do so from the Bishop, but priests who wish to perform the ceremony in a church building must first seek permission from the church’s vestry or mission committee, Behre said.
The Episcopal Church authorized same-sex blessings for “provisional use” in 2012 in a resolution at the 77th General Convention, according to a release from the church. Since then, more than 60 of the 110 dioceses of The Episcopal Church have allowed some form of liturgy for blessings of same-sex relationships, the release states.
Copyright 2014 WCSC. All rights reserved.
I mean, this Holly Behre person…if she is the communications person for the episcopal Church IN SC, …she needs to be fired. I’ve corrected the paper online here in Charleston more than once about what Diocese she is talking about and what their name is. Inept.
Milton, You, me and others have corrected papers in this state as to the correct names for us and them. Why they refuse to use the correct names? I don’t know….
Maybe the trial will enable those thinking guts located in their skulls to make contact with who they, in all actuality, are.
This would make more difference to me if I thought vonRosenburg was a bishop.
TJ, I feel that way also…but when I looked at the TV report online, I honestly did not know if the real diocese or the rump invention initialized for theft was the statement maker. I had to look up the communication person that needs to be fired to see who actually made the statement.
Milton,
Believe me, I understand the frustration that comes with dealing with TEC nonsense. My comment was not directed at anything you were saying, just to the article itself, and I apologize because looking at the whole thread, I can see that it would likely be taken as a response to your comments. I think the situation in S Carolina will be straightened out by the courts, and apparently in relatively short order- although we can anticipate years of appeals. Assuming that the real Diocese of S Carolina prevails, TEC will need to stick to the straight and narrow, and I assume will form a “Diocese of Charleston” or some such.
Genitally defined, genitally inclined, faux diocesan.
Tj, no offense taken or realized. You have been one that has represented a consistent conservative presence. I was just leaning over to your shoulder and hugging you with delight. Maybe my short statements are misconstrued. I look forward to your comments.