From The New York Times: Episcopal Committee Is Working On Gay Rite
Armed with a new $400,000 grant and the support of the Episcopal Church, a Berkeley seminary is convening priests from across the country to craft the liturgical rite for same-sex couples to receive religious blessings.The "theological meaning of same-sex blessings"? Well, that's simple enough, and I can define it in a sentence, much less than in an essay. Heck, I can explain it in a single word: "Abomination." How's that? And it's biblical to boot.
The new rite, which will take years to complete, will most likely consist of a series of original prayers, Bible readings and two essays: one on the theological meaning of same-sex blessings, and one advising priests who administer the new rite. If approved, the new blessing would be just the third addition to Episcopal liturgy since 1979.“This is very significant,” said the Rev. Ruth Meyers, chairwoman of the church’s Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, who is heading the effort. “It does acknowledge a fuller participation of gays and lesbians in the life of the church.”
The Episcopal Church approved the development of “theological and liturgical resources” for the blessing of same-sex relationships at its 2009 convention, citing “changing circumstances in the United States and other nations.” It then partnered with the Berkeley seminary, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, which last month received a grant from the Arcus Foundation, a gay rights organization in Kalamazoo, Mich., to coordinate the effort.
This new rite won't accomplish the result they're hoping for - recognizing the participation of gays and lesbians in their church. I predict it will have the opposite effect, and give further recognition to the fact that the gays and lesbians are different. In fact, I bet the normal rite of marriage eventually gets changed so as not to offend the homosexuals. So, instead of "I now pronounce you husband and wife", it'd be "I now pronounce you love and beloved", or "I now pronounce you lifelong committed partners". Because if there ends up being two distinct rites, the homosexuals will still feel separated and discriminated against. To assuage their feelings of being treated differently, the traditional rite will be stripped of all significant meaning so that ultimately, it won't mean anything at all.
Hey - that sounds like the Catholyc Womynpreests ordination rite!
This proposed change to the Episcopalian marriage rite reminds me of what's been going on in the Catholic Church, only in reverse. For years, the progressives and liberals have been caterwauling over Pope Benedict's Summorum Pontificum - easing the rules of celebrating the Latin Mass. On top of that, Catholycs have been throwing fits over the new translation that's coming Advent 2011. All the "advances" of Vatican II, in their opinion, are being crushed; actually, in the world of reality where the rest of us live, many of the errors are being corrected. In fact, you could say that such efforts were enacted to bolster and clarify Catholic identity, so that we won't be mistaken as Episcopalians.
If the Catholycs don't like what's happening in the Church - and they don't, not one bit - sounds like the Episcopalians are doing the kinds of things they prefer. So as their traditional-minded members swim the Tiber to the Church, how about they storm their rainbow-colored beaches and join the Highly Tolerant ECUSA?
Of course they won't do that - because they want the Church to capitulate to the shifting sands of cultural devolution, and they'll do everything in their power to see that that happens. They'll point to the ECUSA as being "enlightened" and "loving" while at the same time accuse the Church of being bigoted and homophobic. And stick around til the bitter end.
Crazy, what?
s/s Pewsitter
