After hours of sometimes wrenching testimony and debate, a General Convention committee has approved a revision of Resolution B012 that would ensure same-sex marriage rites are available throughout the Episcopal Church while postponing the emotional issue of adding the rites to the Book of Common Prayer.
The resolution revokes the authority of eight bishops to say whether same-sex marriage will be permitted in their dioceses.
It states: “Resolved, that all congregations and worshipping communities of the Church who desire to incorporate these liturgies into their common life … where permitted by civil law, shall have access to these liturgies, allowing all couples to be married in their home church.”
The resolution extends the trial use period that was mandated by the 2015 General Convention indefinitely, and specifies that the same-sex marriage rites should be considered as part of the comprehensive prayer book review that the same committee has also recommended.
“The resolution revokes the authority of eight bishops to say whether same-sex marriage will be permitted in their dioceses.” Someone know what this means for the CP Bishops?
Fr. Dale, I think this means the CP bishops will not have the authority to prohibit same-sex marriages in their parishes.
Katherine,
It looks like TEC is also going to revise the 1979 BCP Based on the TLC report.
https://livingchurch.org/2018/07/07/deputies-approve-revising-prayer-book/
Honesty is a good thing. Promises made by the revisionists to the Orthodox are never kept, and it should be crystal clear by now that no one remaining in TEC can remain Orthodox unless they do so in secret. At long last TEC is going to officially align its doctrine with its heretical practices. Now that they will no longer be accommodated what will the CP Bishops do?
“Now that they will no longer be accommodated what will the CP Bishops do?” There is really not much pressure for most CP Bishops who will retire before the projected publication date of the revised BCP. I once publicly asked Bishop Dan M. what his tipping point would be. His response was, “When they change the prayer book.” He will be well beyond retirement age when this happens.
Yes Br. Michael, I agree that TEC should at least have the integrity to align their doctrine to their current practice. However, one can only guess what the state of TEC will be by the time the new BCP is adopted. Bishop Dan M. complained about the cost in his most recent Carioca blog posting. It is peanuts compared to the cost of litigation over the last decade.
True, but before that happens they will still be required to allow same sex marriages to take place in those churches that want them. I also suspect that Rectors will be forced to allow same sex marriages for those parishioners that want them.
Br. Michael,
“…Rectors will be forced to allow same sex marriages.” I’m not sure what you mean here. Do you suspect they be forced to allow SSM but not forced to conduct SSM? It seems like this policy would be a very divisive issue for a congregation. So the CP bishops will pronounce that they did what they could. They stood by their convictions but their hands are tied and remain bishops under these circumstances?
Br. Michael
In the CP Bishops’ statement of 28 June they include the following: “As bishops, we have vowed to “guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church of God” in our dioceses, ensuring that the congregations under our spiritual authority teach and practice the catholic faith as we have received it in this place.” How to they maintain this position? Do they simply declare that the congregations that conduct SSM are no longer under their authority?
Fr. Dale:
1. Rectors who refuse to perform or allow to be performed a same sex wedding because it is a same sex wedding would be violating anti discrimination provisions of the canons which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex and sexual orientation. As to whether it would be divisive, I don’t think the revisionists care about that. If they didn’t they wouldn’t be insisting on their way or the highway.
2. As for the CP Bishops, depending on what comes out of Convention, I don’t think they can keep their promise to guard the faith, unity and discipline of the Church. At least not if they want to stay in TEC.