Journo Ina Hughs offers an interesting take on the Episcopal Church’s vote to restrain itself on gay ordinations and same-sex blessings:
When Episcopalian leadership voted last week to reaffirm a ban on official prayers over same-sex unions, I had to wonder: Who are they – or anybody else – to censor prayers of any kind? What is an official prayer, anyway?
Does God need an earthly prayer editor? Does He need Anglican, Presbyterian or Baptist or any other denomination’s approval before He takes seriously a certain kind of prayer?
If a minister wants to pray over two people wanting to go through life together, to be one another’s family, to make a home for each other, to be faithful and kind, to love, honor and cherish each other in sickness and in health – who on earth has the power, the nerve or the audacity to say God would turn a deaf ear? I don’t think God is that mean-spirited or that close-minded.
And, frankly, doesn’t this God character (pictured?) have bigger, most celestial things to tend to?
Mrs Patrick Campbell
We remember the Metropolitan Community Church in LA where ladies would pray for sausage!
KJ
The rank and file Episcopalians, clergy and laity, would agree with Hughs. Same-sex blessings are a reality, which is why the conservatives are unhappy with the statement with no teeth that came out of the recent House of Bishops’ meeting.
But regardless, unlike many other parts of the Anglican Communion, TEC has a bicameral form of government, and these matters can only be decided at a General Convention which includes the House of Deputies consisting of elected laity and clergy.
But of course, this is the stuff of church nonsense, and most TEC parishes are too busy doing things that need to be done, like sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry, and providing a faith home for GLBT, to be bothered with statements that would keep them from doing what needs to be done.