Episcopal priests will be allowed to conduct services blessing same-sex relationships under a policy approved Tuesday at the church's national convention in Indianapolis.
The convention's House of Bishops approved the provisional policy 111-41 with three abstentions Monday, clearing it for consideration by the House of Deputies, which approved it Tuesday evening.
The policy was approved in the House of Deputies, following more than an hour of debate, by 78% of the voting lay members and by 76% of clergy.
With the vote, the Episcopal Church becomes the largest U.S. denomination to officially sanction same-sex relationships. The Episcopal Church has about 1.95 million members in the United States, down 16% over the last decade, according to the church.
The service is not considered a marriage ceremony, media affairs representative Nancy Davidge said.
... But others said the policy was a bad idea, the news service reported.
"The Christian world is going to understand us as having changed the nature of the sacrament of holy matrimony," the news service quoted Bishop Edward Little of Northern Indiana as saying. "The Christian world will look at that liturgy world and see vows, and exchange of rings, a pronouncement and a blessing and they will understand that to mean the Episcopal Church has endorsed same-sex marriage and changed a basic Christian doctrine. I do not believe that we are free to do that."
15 Comments
%78 approval is saying something.
It will be interesting to see if any more churches decide to break from the denomination.
Yes indeed Davey. But what...?
There will need to be a very clear and visible distinction made between the protestant churches that will go that way and those that will not. As clear as (even more than) the division between the Catholic and protestant churches of today.
The west was more then ready to have a new religion invented for their needs. But instead they took the easy way out: they kept the same book, with the ready made infrastructure and captive audience, and started getting slick. Not very creative!
Lets hope not all Christians are so easy to guide here and there and anywhere.
Anyway, at the end of the day, we can thank god for Islam.
@Davey
Yes it is. It's saying that this country as well as its religious denominations are straying from God.
It's gonna take another Great Awakening to fix it.
So is NOM going to lobby for laws to stop religions from making their own rules?
@Norma
No. Theses churches are well within their rights. If they want to skew the word of God to fit the "changing times" then so be it.
I have harbor no animosity towards these people, just disappointed that they would make this move.
Extremely disturbing that the Episcopalian leadership has formally abandoned the clear Biblical teaching regarding homosexuality and is now "blessing" sexual sin. This is an apostasy.
@Norma: I don't think you understand NOM's commitment to religious freedom and freedom of conscience.
@Zack How do you know they are skewing the word of God? Did you speak to the Man?
%78 approval is saying something.
It is saying we are no longer a Christian church so for those of you seeking a Christian church you need to look elsewhere.
@Zack How do you know they are skewing the word of God? Did you speak to the Man?
He does not need to speak to him for he revealed all we need to know through the Scriptures known as the Holy Bible.
@John
And if I choose to base my beliefs on rational thought, rather than relying on a 2,000 year old book written by man, what then?
My point is just that if your beliefs are based solely on faith, then we cannot have a constructive argument about them. Faith-based beliefs are not necessarily invalid, but they cannot be proved or disproved, and as such they should be allowed but not forced upon all of society.
I wonder if they would offer it to two sisters, & if not, why not?
Jon
The OP was about the Episcopal Church and it's services so your comment makes no sense.
@John
And if I choose to base my beliefs on rational thought, rather than relying on a 2,000 year old book written by man, what then?
That book was inspired by God and is his written word to us. It is the Holy Scriptures.
My point is just that if your beliefs are based solely on faith, then we cannot have a constructive argument about them.
My posts as well as others and this blog have given more secular reasons to oppose marriage corruption that faith based ones.
"Jon
The OP was about the Episcopal Church and it's services so your comment makes no sense."
Amen, AM.
If discussions on religious doctrine are not Jon's thing, then perhaps he should refrain from commenting on a thread with such a topic.
The story is *obviously* about a change in the Episcopal church's practices towards same-sex unions.
Jon needs to get a life and stop trying to correct or challenge every thought from every commenter on a thread.
He's not as impressive as he thinks he is.