A story from the Boston Globe, concerning the "new rites" instituted by the Thomas Clark Ely, bishop of the diocese of Vermont of the Episcopal church...
In a move that is likely to further inflame tensions in the global Anglican Communion, the Episcopal bishop of Vermont today will introduce two new rites, very similar to the liturgy for Episcopal weddings, for priests to use while presiding at civil unions of gays and lesbians.Episcopal priests in Vermont have already been quietly solemnizing and blessing civil unions for four years, since the state legalized them for same-sex couples. But in introducing standardized rites -- a symbolically significant step in a highly liturgical church -- the Vermont diocese is signalling it fully endorses same-sex relationships.
''The commitment we are asking of persons who are entering into holy unions is of the same nature as the commitment we are asking of couples who are entering holy matrimony,"Vermont Bishop Thomas Clark Ely said in a telephone interview from the diocesan headquarters in Burlington. ''These relationships are expressive of God's love . . . and the church should be willing to recognize and embrace these loving and committed relationships."
...
Ely, who said he has blessed the civil union of a gay Episcopal priest, said the Anglican Communion needs to recognize the ''context" in which Episcopalians live, and that in Vermont, that context is that civil unions for gays and lesbians have been legal for four years, and many gays and lesbians are active participants in the Episcopal Church. The lead plaintiff in the case that led to the creation of civil unions in Vermont is a lay Episcopalian who now serves as senior warden at the diocesan cathedral; the state representative who headed the legislative committee that oversaw the creation of civil unions is also an Episcopalian and now the chancellor of the Vermont diocese; and the Episcopal bishop at the time testified in favor of civil unions.
''I'm hoping that the local context in which we're doing our pastoral work is recognized -- the context in Vermont is very different than the context in Nigeria, and I wouldn't presume to understand the cultural context of Nigeria, but I would respect the local culture and context in which that diocese operates," Ely said.
Nigeria, with an estimated 15 million Anglicans, has more Anglican adherents than any other nation, and the Anglican primate there has been an outspoken critic of homosexuality and gay relationships. The Episcopal Church USA has 2.3 million members, including 8,700 in Vermont.
This story ran on page A1 of the Boston Globe on 6/18/2004.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
Is this sad, or what? Culture drives our practice in the church - if the cultural context demands that gays and lesbians be marriageable, then it is the duty of the church to 'solemnize' those 'marriages'? I am sickened at what the quote by Ely (which reveals a sentiment shared by so many) says about the nature of the church in his eyes. What happened to "in the world, and not of the world'? What happened to "obey God and not men"? It seems that the Lord has given many over to a debased conception of holiness and rightesouness.... if rank apostasy hasn't already begun to pervade the Episcopal church (and others in the mainline who share similar cultural opinions) I don't see it waiting too long to overtake her.
Posted by toddpedlar at June 20, 2004 07:39 AM | TrackBack