Let B033 expire and approve a charge to the Standing Committee on Liturgy to develop a rite for same-sex blessings to include in the BOS (essentially the part of the resolution that was cut in 2000).
BTW, we'd have to change the Canons to permit the use of the marriage rite.
Clarify canons about procedures for leaving TEC including clergy discipline
Support same-sex marriage
Provide financial support for seminarians
Study clergy problems in small parishes with goal of recommending solution to providing the eucharist and other sacraments/services when clergy are not available
I could come up with several more but I'll give others a chance
Thanks for the question. Since you have posed this as a pie in the sky, not a pragmatic question:
- Stop any moratoium. Make it clear that all the baptized are included in all the sacraments. Full use of marriage rites and ordination without a barrier of sexual orientation or gender identification to any order.
- Mandate discussion groups about heterosexuality and how it impacts us all as Christians. I know this sound smart-ass, but I am quite serious.
* BEGIN the process for prayer-book revision (I've asked for this, quite APART from changing the language re marriage---but that's an important part of it!). Authorize the current BCP marriage rite to be used for either opposite- OR same-sex couples, on a provisional basis.
* EITHER repeal B033, or pass a new canon nullifying it (I bow to superior canoneers on this 'un ;-/)
* State that we are 1) fully committed to the Anglican Communion, 2) that the constitution of the AC being the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, the "Anglican Covenant" is, prima facie, OUT OF ORDER. Buh-bye to it! 3) Because TEC is constituative OF the AC, any attempt by the "Instruments of Communion" (so-called: Note, they're not mentioned in the Quad!) to rule us "2nd Tier" (much less, OUT) of the AC, is automatically OUT OF ORDER, also. 4) We will continue to honor the ABC as "first among equals", as long as s/he, Lambeth, the Primates Mtg and the ACC acknowledge they are CONSULTATIVE ONLY!!!
* Begin a process to evaluate how LGBT people are being affirmed to holy orders in EVERY diocese (Note: this is not to guarantee that any particular LGBT person is guaranteed orders in any diocese, only to evaluate how the canons are being complied with. This is similar, to the process by which women have been affirmed in holy orders in every {finally!} diocese)
* Realizing that LGBT priests can't be called, where there aren't parishes to call them: evaluate how the "Listening Process" is going---instigate it, where it hasn't.
* Evangelism! Make special outreach efforts to LGBT people, and straight allies! I'd like to see a "The Episcopal Church Welcomes Your Fabulous Queer Self!" flyer in Every gay bar, in Every LGBT community center, in Every lesbian softball dugout! ;-D (And in every PFLAG meeting, especially: it's a family affair)
* Ecumenism: stronger unity efforts to LGBT-affirming religious organizations (esp., though not exclusively, Christian ones). PRESSURE on our current ecumenical partners, that are NOT sufficiently LGBT-affirming (non-violent, persuasive pressure, 'natch).
* Using the power of our pressure/persuasion, on the government---at EVERY level: local, state, national, international. Crimes against LGBTs are crimes against humanity, and must be treated AS such! (Homophobic governments that refuse to change---dejure OR defacto---should be treated as South Africa was in the '80s. Boycott! Divest! Sanction!)
* BEGIN doing the "theological anthropology" work on gender-different people (Trans, Genderqueer, Intersex). It's important for the gender-normal to understand that God made some people gender-different . . . and it's important for the gender-different to be affirmed, that God did NOT make them "wrong". They are loved by God BOTH as they are AND as they will be (if THEY choose to transition). To be made in the Image of God, is to be made as one who is BLESSED TO CHOOSE one's own destiny.
Stop any moratoium. Make it clear that all the baptized are included in all the sacraments.
Pass a little HEADS UP that all the baptized are held to the same standard.
Pass a little REMINDER that we are an autonomous Church and our not-so-always-loving Communion friends need to work on keeping their side of our relationship CLEAN!
No more ¨prudent¨kowtowing to bigots and thieves no matter what color of clergy drag they´ve got on nor how tall they think their mitre is.
Trust God and proceed to be the ACTUAL, AUTHENTIC Episcopalians that God has made us to be.
Thanks for all the ideas - they seem to coalesce around - re-affirming our non-discrimination canon (rejecting the language of B033) and ss marriage rites and stating that while we are part of the AC and appreciate the relationships we are also autonomous and that the Chi Quad is enough. Do I hear correctly?
Windsor does not apply. It's gone, finished, and its policies will not be adopted by the national church.
Some sort of statement to the effect that while we love everyone in the Communion and the Communion is a "really good thing", we are an autonomous church, and no outside entity can interfere with our governance
What others have said about ending B033 by whatever means are the least disruptive.
2) Let us commit to new moratoria...ending our generous financial support of the AC, to the extent those funds go toward meetings of primates & committees who arrogate power to themselves and bypass laity and clergy! Begin a moratorium on silently acceding to the AC's demand that we be complicit in excluding some from the full life of the church. And an indefinite moratorium on the Windsor Report and its vile offspring, the Windsor Continuation Group.
3) For the good of all, tighten up the language in C&C about dissenting bishops and departing members.
4) Find a way to offer rites in BCP to all in the church. I object to relegating ss marriage to some "special" rite for "special" members. My husband & I were married civilly and then had a blessing of marriage at church; we did this intentionally to stand with GLBT brothers & sisters. You can change canons to have clergy do blessings of marriage only (as opposed to performing civil marriage along with the blessing) for all I care!
It is possible, but procedurally unlikely, that some version of Mark Harris's proposed resolution may be passed by my diocese at the end of this month. Apart from its not offering apologies, it seems to be better structurally than the other proposals listed to date.
16 comments:
Give the green light to use the marriage rite (not just a blessing) for same-sex couples.
Tell +Rowan and company to go stuff themselves--and repeal the odious B033 while you are at it.
Cheers,
Doxy
Let B033 expire and approve a charge to the Standing Committee on Liturgy to develop a rite for same-sex blessings to include in the BOS (essentially the part of the resolution that was cut in 2000).
BTW, we'd have to change the Canons to permit the use of the marriage rite.
Fine with me. Change 'em. Now.
Clarify canons about procedures for leaving TEC including clergy discipline
Support same-sex marriage
Provide financial support for seminarians
Study clergy problems in small parishes with goal of recommending solution to providing the eucharist and other sacraments/services when clergy are not available
I could come up with several more but I'll give others a chance
Ann,
Thanks for the question. Since you have posed this as a pie in the sky, not a pragmatic question:
- Stop any moratoium. Make it clear that all the baptized are included in all the sacraments. Full use of marriage rites and ordination without a barrier of sexual orientation or gender identification to any order.
- Mandate discussion groups about heterosexuality and how it impacts us all as Christians. I know this sound smart-ass, but I am quite serious.
* BEGIN the process for prayer-book revision (I've asked for this, quite APART from changing the language re marriage---but that's an important part of it!). Authorize the current BCP marriage rite to be used for either opposite- OR same-sex couples, on a provisional basis.
* EITHER repeal B033, or pass a new canon nullifying it (I bow to superior canoneers on this 'un ;-/)
* State that we are 1) fully committed to the Anglican Communion, 2) that the constitution of the AC being the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, the "Anglican Covenant" is, prima facie, OUT OF ORDER. Buh-bye to it! 3) Because TEC is constituative OF the AC, any attempt by the "Instruments of Communion" (so-called: Note, they're not mentioned in the Quad!) to rule us "2nd Tier" (much less, OUT) of the AC, is automatically OUT OF ORDER, also. 4) We will continue to honor the ABC as "first among equals", as long as s/he, Lambeth, the Primates Mtg and the ACC acknowledge they are CONSULTATIVE ONLY!!!
* Begin a process to evaluate how LGBT people are being affirmed to holy orders in EVERY diocese (Note: this is not to guarantee that any particular LGBT person is guaranteed orders in any diocese, only to evaluate how the canons are being complied with. This is similar, to the process by which women have been affirmed in holy orders in every {finally!} diocese)
* Realizing that LGBT priests can't be called, where there aren't parishes to call them: evaluate how the "Listening Process" is going---instigate it, where it hasn't.
* Evangelism! Make special outreach efforts to LGBT people, and straight allies! I'd like to see a "The Episcopal Church Welcomes Your Fabulous Queer Self!" flyer in Every gay bar, in Every LGBT community center, in Every lesbian softball dugout! ;-D (And in every PFLAG meeting, especially: it's a family affair)
* Ecumenism: stronger unity efforts to LGBT-affirming religious organizations (esp., though not exclusively, Christian ones). PRESSURE on our current ecumenical partners, that are NOT sufficiently LGBT-affirming (non-violent, persuasive pressure, 'natch).
* Using the power of our pressure/persuasion, on the government---at EVERY level: local, state, national, international. Crimes against LGBTs are crimes against humanity, and must be treated AS such! (Homophobic governments that refuse to change---dejure OR defacto---should be treated as South Africa was in the '80s. Boycott! Divest! Sanction!)
* BEGIN doing the "theological anthropology" work on gender-different people (Trans, Genderqueer, Intersex). It's important for the gender-normal to understand that God made some people gender-different . . . and it's important for the gender-different to be affirmed, that God did NOT make them "wrong". They are loved by God BOTH as they are AND as they will be (if THEY choose to transition). To be made in the Image of God, is to be made as one who is BLESSED TO CHOOSE one's own destiny.
Well, that's a start... ;-)
These are great -- thanks -- I am putting them in my what needs to happen list -for any political planning.
Stop any moratoium. Make it clear that all the baptized are included in all the sacraments.
Pass a little HEADS UP that all the baptized are held to the same standard.
Pass a little REMINDER that we are an autonomous Church and our not-so-always-loving Communion friends need to work on keeping their side of our relationship CLEAN!
No more ¨prudent¨kowtowing to bigots and thieves no matter what color of clergy drag they´ve got on nor how tall they think their mitre is.
Trust God and proceed to be the ACTUAL, AUTHENTIC Episcopalians that God has made us to be.
Stop any moratoium. Make it clear that all the baptized are included in all the sacraments¨ Neil
Sorry, thanks Neil!
Sending you intentions of peace, love, understanding during this time.
Leaving the so-called Anglican Communion like true AMERICANS would do!!
Thanks for all the ideas - they seem to coalesce around - re-affirming our non-discrimination canon (rejecting the language of B033) and ss marriage rites and stating that while we are part of the AC and appreciate the relationships we are also autonomous and that the Chi Quad is enough. Do I hear correctly?
BO33 gone, and moratoria ended.
Windsor does not apply. It's gone, finished, and its policies will not be adopted by the national church.
Some sort of statement to the effect that while we love everyone in the Communion and the Communion is a "really good thing", we are an autonomous church, and no outside entity can interfere with our governance
What others have said about ending B033 by whatever means are the least disruptive.
2) Let us commit to new moratoria...ending our generous financial support of the AC, to the extent those funds go toward meetings of primates & committees who arrogate power to themselves and bypass laity and clergy! Begin a moratorium on silently acceding to the AC's demand that we be complicit in excluding some from the full life of the church. And an indefinite moratorium on the Windsor Report and its vile offspring, the Windsor Continuation Group.
3) For the good of all, tighten up the language in C&C about dissenting bishops and departing members.
4) Find a way to offer rites in BCP to all in the church. I object to relegating ss marriage to some "special" rite for "special" members. My husband & I were married civilly and then had a blessing of marriage at church; we did this intentionally to stand with GLBT brothers & sisters. You can change canons to have clergy do blessings of marriage only (as opposed to performing civil marriage along with the blessing) for all I care!
Prayers ascending for wisdom in all this. Cheryl
From one NC Mama to another---I second Cheryl's recommendations!
Cheers,
Doxy
It is possible, but procedurally unlikely, that some version of Mark Harris's proposed resolution may be passed by my diocese at the end of this month. Apart from its not offering apologies, it seems to be better structurally than the other proposals listed to date.
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