Church Weddings for Gay Episcopalians
It's great to be an Episcopalian today...
"Resolved, That bishops, particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church."
The Anglican Communion, which has been teetering on the brink of worldwide schism since 2003, is about to officially split over ME. I am so heartened and vindicated by this action. How anyone can say now that The Episcopal Church USA is not a rational, modern, thinking person's Christianity is beyond me.
Those conservatives that are remaining with the Episcopal Church (at least for the moment) are deeply uneasy. At the end of the convention, some 25 conservative bishops signed a statement to "reaffirm our commitment to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as this church has received them." Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams spoke bleakly of a communion in "grave peril" as a result of the U.S. Episcopal Church's resolution. And some bishops promised outright rebellion, with the bishop of the Diocese of Dallas, Tx. sending a letter to his clergy stating, "We will not consent to the election of a bishop living in a same-sex relationship, and we will not allow the blessings of same-sex relationships."
The doodoo is about to hit the fan, and although it may make the GLBT community feel like someone finally has gone to bat for them, the coming split is a little saddening. The Anglican Church is somewhat smaller than the Roman Catholic Church, but this moment has all the elements of the Protestant Reformation, or even the division that founded the Church of England.