Marriage Equality for the Diocese of New York
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Proposers of Resolution:
Michael Cudney
The Reverend Thomas Synan
Organization: LGBT Concerns Committee of the Social Concerns Commission
Title of Resolution: Marriage Equality for the Diocese of New York
TEXT OF RESOLUTION
[ 7 ] RESOLVED, That, the 235th Convention of the Diocese of New York urges the 77th General Convention to revise the current Canons of The Episcopal Church with regard to marriage, to provide for the marriage of same-gender couples in those jurisdictions that have or will have civil marriage for same-gender couples; and be it further
[ 8 ] RESOLVED, That the Diocese of New York urge General Convention diligently to continue the work called for in its Resolution C056, to “collect and develop theological and liturgical resources” for the blessing for same-gender couples;, and be it further
[ 9 ] RESOLVED, That the Diocese of New York, in light of its continued support of faithful and committed same-gender couples, including the support for civil marriage equality by the 232nd Convention of the Diocese and our Diocesan Bishop and other leaders, encourages the Bishop to interpret Resolution C056 of the 76th General Convention (“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”) to mean that clergy throughout the Diocese are permitted (but not required) to sign marriage licenses and officiate at marriages for couples legally eligible for marriage in the State of New York.
EXPLANATION
The passage of the landmark Marriage Equality law in New York just a few months ago has brought with it a disparity between our civil and religious lives. This is particularly true where clergy are concerned, as marriage is the sole area where the civil and religious intersect.
At the 2009 General Convention, resolution C056 stated that bishops, ‘particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral responses to meet the needs of members of this Church’. Our resolution asks that the Bishop of the Diocese of New York interpret C056 in a manner that will allow clergy in the diocese to officiate at same-gender marriages as they do currently with opposite-gender couples.
Our hope is that our bishop, with the counsel of the diocesan liturgical commission, and in keeping with the Constitutional principle that a bishop may authorize the use of rites for special occasions not already provided for in the Book of Common Prayer, would authorize the use of one or more of the many trial liturgies being used in other dioceses of New York State, and in other states where provision for civil unions or marriage of same-sex couples has been made.
Please note that all questions or comments will be moderated for relevance.
What does the Bible have to say on this subject?
How about: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
I would start our response with this quote:
“The attempt to discover what the Bible has to say about same-sex relationships involves looking to it for answers to questions it does not pose, at least not in the form we want to ask them. The notion of same-sex marriage did not exist in Scripture or in its contemporary contexts.”
This comes from the ‘Traditionalist’ position paper that formed a part of the 2010 report to the House of Bishops Theology Committee from a board of leading “traditional” and “progressive” theologians — each group of which produced their own reflections. [The entire report was published in the Anglican Theological Review, Vol 93, No. 1 –Winter 2011]
In short, any answer has to come from a much broader reading, reaching conclusions that are not directly “biblical” but which we hope will be consistent with biblical principles. In the ensuing debate, the Traditionalists reach the position that these principles rule out same-sex marriage, the other side, applying the same principles, feels that not only do the encourage same-sex marriage, but demand it — on the same moral grounds that the church feels that sex outside of marriage is wrong. In the long run, the “Progressives” took an essentially “conservative” point of view, that marriage is a discipline.
Our resolution seeks to bring the sacramentality of marriage in line with the current civil laws of the state of New York. The Diocese of New York is on record, as is Bishop Sisk, as supporters of the right of same-gender couples to marry civilly. And while the General Convention is currently developing liturgies, as well as examining changes to the marriage canons, it has also through resolution C056 allowed ‘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 full text of the resolution can be found here:
http://gc2009.org/viewlegislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=898&type=Final
The questions of same-gender relationships and Scripture are many and varied. There are numerous resources that may be of interest to the questioner. Some are:
1. Integrity USA http://www.integrityusa.org has a wealth of material at its website, including a pamphlet entitled The Bible and Homosexuality http://integrityusa.org/PrintMaterials/TheBibleAndHomosexuality2008.pdf
2. The Chicago Consultation http://www.chicagoconsultation.org is another with numerous resources available.
3. What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality by Daniel Helminiak
4. Jesus, The Bible and Homosexuality by Jack Bartlett Rogers
5. Reasonable And Holy: Engaging Same-sexuality by Rev’d Tobias Stanislaus Haller, BSG [of our own Diocese of New York]
Additionally, the LGBT Concerns Committee will have a table at Convention and we welcome you to come by and meet us.
[I would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Rev’d José R. Gándara-Perea, and the Rev’d Tobias S. Haller, BSG, in the formulation of this response. mc]
I support the resolution and applaud the work of the proponents. Above all, Christ taught us to love one another. He preached a radical welcome – beyond historical lines of tribe or location. The blessing of the “pais” of the Roman Centurion embodies the Biblical proof of Christ’s generous pastoral response that is most relevant here.
When are we going to stop?
Dr. Torres: The radical welcome of Jesus may cause fear, and forgive me but it sounds like you might fear something, to which there is an answer, which is Christ our Lord. This season reminds us of fear and its answer in Christ: “And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:9-11 ESV) Fear not the love, mutual support, fidelity, and increase in family represented by a generous, just, and equal welcome to all in holy marriage.
Please remember this does not require any clergy to officiate at, nor does it require any parishes to open their church building to at any same-sex weddings, it merely seeks to allow those who wish to do so may. Not too long ago a woman who felt the call from God to serve as clergy was forbidden by Man. The subject was said to be the end of the church…
I believe in providing ALL of God’s children with full inclusion in the life of the Church–that includes acceptance of their God-given sexual orientation and the blessing of the church when they are fortunate enough to find someone to whom they wish to be married. I’m straight, by the way.
Thank you for this resolution. The struggle for true equality by faithful Christians has been so hard and so long. I rejoice at this moment in the history of the Episcopal Church and hope that we will have the courage to pass this timely and faithful resolution.