CONSCIENCE CLAWS
From David Virtue comes word that Episcopal priests in the Diocese of Pennsylvania will be able to obey their consciences on the subject of homosexual marriage only if their consciences tell them whatever Chuckie wants them to hear:
In a note to the clergy on The Commemoration of Absalom Jones, [Bishop Charles] Bennison wrote to “clergy colleagues” saying, “I am very concerned that to date only 43 of us have registered for the Conference on Rites for Blessing Same – Gender Relationships on February 21- a week from tomorrow. This means that a large number of us may not be adequately prepared to respond pastorally, either to people’s reactions to this summer’s General Convention vote on rites proposed by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music in response to Resolution C-056 at the 2009 General Convention, or to same gender couples who may ask us to use the rites for the blessing of their relationships if, as seems likely, Convention adopts them.
“Unless the implementing resolution states otherwise, none of us, should we be asked to bless the relationship of a same-gender couple, may refuse to do so on the basis of their sexual orientation.”
This is a clear warning that clergy who disobey what GC2012 will predictably pass could face disciplinary proceedings if they are asked to perform a same-sex blessing and refuse to do so.
In a note to the clergy on The Commemoration of Absalom Jones, [Bishop Charles] Bennison wrote to “clergy colleagues” saying, “I am very concerned that to date only 43 of us have registered for the Conference on Rites for Blessing Same – Gender Relationships on February 21- a week from tomorrow. This means that a large number of us may not be adequately prepared to respond pastorally, either to people’s reactions to this summer’s General Convention vote on rites proposed by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music in response to Resolution C-056 at the 2009 General Convention, or to same gender couples who may ask us to use the rites for the blessing of their relationships if, as seems likely, Convention adopts them.
“Unless the implementing resolution states otherwise, none of us, should we be asked to bless the relationship of a same-gender couple, may refuse to do so on the basis of their sexual orientation.”
This is a clear warning that clergy who disobey what GC2012 will predictably pass could face disciplinary proceedings if they are asked to perform a same-sex blessing and refuse to do so.
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