Speaking of blessings, it seems that the Massachusetts branch of the Episcopal Church will vote later in the month on whether or not they should use their holy power to bless marriages – that is all marriages.
In an effort to curb a complete schism within the Anglican denomination, a group of Boston based clergy have insisted that the Episcopal Churches follow in the footsteps of many European congregations and end marriage ceremonies all together. 365 Gay reports:
Many denominations in Europe have gotten out of the marriage business – allowing couples to have civil ceremonies and then if they want receiving a church blessing later. But in North America most couples opt for church weddings
…
To avoid a looming crisis over the issue a group of Boston priests is urging the diocese to leave marriage to civil authorities, questioning whether the church should continue to be “an agent of the state.”
Oh come on! They really want to deprive all people of an Episcopal wedding? Sure, we want gay people to get married, but we also want other people to get married, too. Aren’t these churches like 1000 years old or some shit? Even if they’re only 100 years old, that’s certainly old enough to know better.
But, we suppose it’s a nice thought, especially when you consider the church as “an agent of the state”. In that case, no church should marry people, ever. Can you imagine? People would go ape shit! We admit, it would be kind of fun to watch, though.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Meanwhile, the church will also vote on a potential ban of presiding over gay marriage in Massachusetts, where it’s federally legal. If that doesn’t pass, then they consider the third vote: whether or not the same rites used in staight marriages should be used in gay marriages.
These people need to get their shit together: they can’t decide if they want gay marriage, don’t want gay marriage, want any marriage, or think gay and straight weddings should follow the same rites. The Episcopal Church is fast on it’s way to becoming Sybil.
Ryan
The episcopal church is basically America’s branch of the Anglican Church – the Church of England. It was more or less created during King Henry the 8th’s reign, during the 1500s – he of 6 wifes. You see… he wanted a divorce or ten, but the Catholic Church only gave him one. So he created his own friggin church… and now Anglicans are still having marital problems, 500 years later =p
KJ
Oh kids, kids, kids. You really need to consider getting a “religion” editor so you don’t have to worry your pretty little heads about things regarding which you have limited knowledge. We don’t all have to know everything about everything, but in such important matters, we do want to be accurate.
Having said that, you know I love ya!
Leaders within the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada, straight and gay, male and female, have made decisions and taken steps towards GLBT affirmation that have come at great personal and corporate cost both in opposition from conservative parishes in the US and entire national churches outside of the US. To dismiss those efforts out of hand is to do a disservice to those who have put it all on the line and matched their actions with their words.
The first resolution is very supportive of us (i.e., if we cannot marry same-sex couples, then maybe we shouldn’t perform marriage rites at all). I doubt that this will pass, and kind of hope that it doesn’t. It’s great symbolically, but I would not want to deprive others of of an Episcopal wedding just because I can’t have one (Actually, my husband and I did have one, but please promise to not inform Big Pete in Nigeria.).
I’m not sure where you get the information regarding voting on a “ban over gay marriage in Massachusetts.” The 365 Gay story to which you linked reports that the “Synod also will vote on a resolution calling on the legislature to reject a proposed amendment to the state constitution to bar gay marriage in the only state where it is currently legal.” I read this to mean that conservatives in the state are attempting to overturn same-sex marriage by amending the state constitution. The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts would apparently be opposed to such an amendment. This, from our perspective, is a good thing.
You attempted to connect the third resolution to the previous. They are not connected as best I can tell. The second resolution is sent as a message to the state legislature; the third is an “in house” resolution directed toward the national Episcopal Church requesting official church authorization to use the “same blessing rites as used for opposite-sex couples to be used for gay blessings.” Currently, this is not the case.
Growth and change are often slower than we would like, and even slower in church circles. However, the Episcopal Church has shown itself capable of such change as evidenced by the election of Bishop Robinson and the recent election of Presiding Bishop-Elect Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first female to hold this position in the Anglican Communion.
Peter
Another thing you’ve missed completely when you say “Oh come on! They really want to deprive all people of an Episcopal wedding?” — they aren’t doing any such thing.
What the proposal is about is whether the Episcopal wedding will continue to have civil authority. As it stands now, when someone has a “church wedding” they are doing two things at once, getting blessed by their church AND getting married by a licensed agent of the state — the clergyperson.
What they are saying is that you can still have the church wedding, and it will still constitute a valid religious ceremony, and you will be appropriately “married in the eyes of God” — but that they won’t be turning any paperwork over to the state, so you won’t be legally married, just religiously blessed. Since, as far as the church is concerned, that is all that matters, the rest is up to the couple to do downtown.
I don’t think it’s that great an idea, and I doubt it will impress too many people or catch on across the country, but if you are going to report something, try to get it right.
janice
The gay in our church will go to all lengths to ram their point of view across. It is sad that they would mock holy marriage to forward their ajenda. They have truly taken over this once holy faith.
KJ
Janice,
Contrary to your conclusion, same-sex couples wishing to get married is hardly a mockery of marriage, but rather an expression of the value placed on the institution by those seeking it. Furthermore, if you perceive gay believers living transparent lives of integrety in a community of faith as being a “ramming” of a point, then you need to learn the difference between offense taken and offense given.
brandie
why does it matter who gets married.there should not be a problem of loking.loving the same sex.everyone says if your happy then they wish the best of luck.(at least till they find out its about the same sex).this is all a bunch of bull.i am not gay but i support gay marriages..if your not gay then you have no right downgrading someone who is. just respect them for that.churches have always married couples..and they dont need to stop now same sex couples are wanting to be married.