7-2-09 6:09 PM

Below is a letter from Bishop Thomas Shaw and a copy of a resolution that he and other bishops (primarily Northeastern) intend to introduce on the floor of the house of bishops.  The resolution is a clever way to get TEC to give a limited approval of gay marriages. The writers call it “Pastoral Generosity.” To me, the most revealing line in the proposed resolution is this one:

" There may be many clergy and congregations that have no desire to participate in the blessing of a civil marriage. But in those places where there is such a will, the freedom to explore that option is vital."

The introductory letter is below, followed by the text of the proposed resolution:

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we are all preparing for General Convention, I am writing to ask you to prayerfully consider the resolution sponsored by several bishops who are now administering in states that have, or will very soon have, civil marriage equality.

From my 18 years in the House of Bishops, I am well aware that we are not all in full agreement concerning marriage equality.  We have, in the House of Bishops, vastly different opinions on marriage equality that each of us have come to through prayer and careful reflection on scripture, theology, and the tradition of the church.  However, those of us administering in Connecticut, Maine, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts find ourselves in a very unique place.  Because of civil marriage equality in our states, all of us face pressing pastoral situations. We need your help.  We believe that this resolution will provide us with the help we need to adequately care for the people God has entrusted to us.

Please know that any one of us who are sponsoring this resolution would be happy to discuss it with you and how we are experiencing our ministry in our states with marriage equality either before or during General Convention.

Know of my prayers for you as we prepare for General Convention and please pray for us as well.

Faithfully yours,
M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE

 A Resolution Concerning Pastoral Generosity in Addressing Civil Marriage

Resolved, the House of ________ concurring, this 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church acknowledge the pastoral concerns facing those dioceses in states where the civil marriage of same gender couples is legal; and be it further

Resolved, that in those dioceses, under the direction of the bishop, generous discretion is extended to clergy in the exercise of their pastoral ministry in order to permit the adaptation of the Pastoral Offices for The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage and The Blessing of a Civil Marriage for use with all couples who seek the church’s support and God’s blessing in their marriages; and be it further 

Resolved, that in order to build a body of experience for the benefit of the church, each bishop in those dioceses where this pastoral practice is exercised provide an annual written report on their experience to the House of Bishops each March and to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for its report to the 77th General Convention.

Sponsors: The Rt. Revs. Andrew Smith, Laura Ahrens, James Curry (Connecticut), Alan Scarfe (Iowa), Stephen Lane (Maine), Thomas Shaw, Roy Cederholm, Gayle Harris (Massachusetts), Gene Robinson (New Hampshire), Thomas Ely (Vermont)

 Explanation
There are now six states (Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont) where the civil marriage of same gender couples is legal, and other states may follow in the coming triennium. This has created unique pastoral challenges for The Episcopal Church because the definition of marriage held by these states and the language used in the Canons and the Book of Common Prayer of The Episcopal Church is not the same. In all six states, faithful Episcopalians are asking that their church provide the pastoral support and blessing of the church for their marriages. Clergy in those same states are caught between the authority given them by the state and the discipline of The Episcopal Church as it’s currently described. The rubrics of the BCP require that “marriage conform both to the laws of the state and the canons of the Church (BCP, 422).”

This situation requires a generous and flexible response that offers clergy the ability to make appropriate pastoral decisions in consultation with the bishop and their members. There may be many clergy and congregations that have no desire to participate in the blessing of a civil marriage. But in those places where there is such a will, the freedom to explore that option is vital.

The Book of Common Prayer makes provision for special devotions that may be used when services in the Prayerbook do not address the needs of the congregation (BCP, 13). Such devotions are subject to the direction of the bishop.

There is also a need for the Church to hear the experience of those dioceses and congregations where good faith efforts are being made to respond to the pastoral needs of faithful same sex couples. This resolution would create annual reporting to the House of Bishops, with a summary report to be made to the 77th General Convention.

While this resolution addresses the special circumstances in states with full marriage equality, there is also a need to support other efforts to provide pastoral care (including blessings) to same sex couples in all dioceses of The Episcopal Church.

Click here to go back to John Burwell's GC2009 Report