Saturday, February 15, 2014

A surprise from the Church of England House of Bishops

Surprising news from the Church of England.  Read it all here.

5 comments:

Anam Cara said...

What, exactly is the surprising part? This? Allowing some sort of prayer for the couple?

20. The 2005 pastoral statement said that it would not be right to produce an authorized public liturgy in connection with the registering of civil partnerships and that clergy should not provide services of blessing for those who registered civil partnerships. The House did not wish, however, to interfere with the clergy's pastoral discretion about when more informal kind of prayer, at the request of the couple, might be appropriate in the light of the circumstances. The College made clear on 27 January that, just as the Church of England's doctrine of marriage remains the same, so its pastoral and liturgical practice also remains unchanged.

21. The same approach as commended in the 2005 statement should therefore apply to couples who enter same-sex marriage, on the assumption that any prayer will be accompanied by pastoral discussion of the church's teaching and their reasons for departing from it. Services of blessing should not be provided. Clergy should respond pastorally and sensitively in other ways.

TJ McMahon said...

Anam, that was no surprise, the CoE fell off the Lambeth 1.10 wagon in 2005, there is no likelihood of them retracing those steps, and are already on record that bishops in civil partnerships are ok (also at variance with 1.10, Windsor, etc.)
What was a surprise, given that revisionists are a majority of the HoB nowadays, is that they did not cave outright and declare for gay marriage.

Dale Matson said...

"Nothing has changed" Yeh right. Incremental innovation.

Unknown said...

Far better than what was hoped for. We must continue to pray.

bb

Dale Matson said...

BB,
I would guess that you are praying that the CoE will not change her policies. I am praying for additional clarity in this developing sorting process.