This passed in the HOB 111-41 with three abstentions.  We will post the vote tally by name as soon as we can.

A049 TOPIC: LITURGYAuthorize Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 77th General Convention commend “Liturgical Resources I: I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing” for study and use in congregations and dioceses of The Episcopal Church, with the following revisions:
Throughout “I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing” change “same-gender” to “same-sex”;
BB p. 184 (Te bendecire pdf, p.1): change “Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships” to “Resources for The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant in a same-sex relationship”
BB p. 240 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 83): Add rubric after first rubric, stating: “At least one of the couple must be a baptized Christian.”
BB p. 240 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 83): In paragraph 2, line 1, delete “at least one of whom is baptized,”
BB p. 241 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 85): In Presider’s address to the assembly, delete “come what may,” (paragraph 1, line 9)
BB pp. 241-242 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 85): In Presider’s address to the assembly, delete all of paragraph 2 (“Ahead of them…calls us all to share.”)
BB p. 242 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 85): In Presider’s address to the assembly, change “let us pray, then,” (paragraph 3, line 1) to “Therefore, in the name of Christ, let us pray”
BB p. 245 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 90): After the bidding for peace in their home and love in their family, add the following bidding: “For the grace, when they hurt each other, to recognize and acknowledge their fault, and to seek each other’s forgiveness and yours: Lord, in your mercy (or Lord, in your goodness) Hear our prayer.”
BB p. 246 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 91): Change rubric that begins “After a time of silence” to the following: “The leader may add one or more of the following biddings”
BB p. 247 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 93): In Commitment (both forms) line 7, change “I will honor and keep you” to “I will honor and love you”
BB p. 248 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 94): In first form of blessing rings, change line 2 to “as signs of the enduring covenant”
BB p. 248 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 95): In Blessing of the Couple, add rubric between first and second paragraphs: “The Presider continues with one of the
following”
BB p. 248 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 95): In Blessing of the Couple, add third paragraph after the “Amen”: “or this / God, the holy and undivided Trinity,
bless, preserve, and keep you, and mercifully grant you rich and boundless grace, that you may please God in body and soul. God make you a sign of the loving-kindness and steadfast fidelity manifest in the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior, and bring you at last to the delight of the heavenly
banquet, where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.”
BB p. 257 (Te bendecire pdf, p. 104): In paragraph under E. Vocation, change “1 Samuel 18” to “1 Samuel 3”; and be it further
Resolved, That the 77th General Convention commend as part of our generous pastoral response authorize for trial provisional use “The Witnessing and
Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant” from “Liturgical Resources I: I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing” beginning the First Sunday of Advent 2012, under the direction and subject to the permission of the of a bishop exercising ecclesiastical authority; and be it further
Resolved, That bishops, particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-sex gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church; , including adaptation of the liturgy and declaration of intention contained in “I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing”; and be it further
Resolved, That bishops may authorize adaptation of these materials to meet the needs of members of this Church: and be it further
Resolved, that the provision of Canon I.18.4 applies by extension to “Theological Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships,” namely, “It shall be within the discretion of any Member of the Clergy of this Church to decline to [preside at any rite of blessing defined herein]”; and be it further
Resolved, That this convention honor the theological diversity of this church in regard to matters of human sexuality, and that no bishop, priest, deacon or lay person should be coerced or penalized in any manner, nor suffer any canonical disabilities, as a result of his or her conscientious objection to or support for the 77th General Convention’s action with regard to the Blessing of Same-Sex Relationships; and be it further
Resolved, That the theological resource for the blessing of a life-long covenant be further developed by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music over the 2013-2015 triennium with specific attention to further engagement with scripture and the relevant categories and sources of systematic theology (e.g., creation, sin, grace, salvation, redemption, human nature); and be it further
Resolved, That the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music include the work of diverse theological perspectives in the further development of the theological resource; and be it further
Resolved, That the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music develop an open process to review “I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing,” inviting
responses from provinces, dioceses, congregations, and individuals from throughout The Episcopal Church and from throughout the Anglican
Communion, and from our ecumenical partners, and report to the 78th General Convention.

EXPLANATION
In response to Resolution 2009-C056, the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music developed liturgical and theological resources for blessing same-gender relationships. Throughout the triennium, the commission heard stories of the urgent pastoral need for these resources in congregations of The Episcopal Church. Because these are new resources for a pastoral situation not previously recognized in official liturgical books of The Episcopal
Church, the commission recommends that they be used under the direction of a bishop exercising ecclesiastical authority, and that there be a process of review in order to refine the materials, so that they are in keeping with Anglican theological and liturgical tradition.

Isn’t that cute how they pretend they want recommendations and comments from provinces, dioceses, congregations, and individuals from throughout The Episcopal Church and from throughout the Anglican Communion, and from our ecumenical partners?  At least they could be honest and admit they only want comment from those who have been busy pushing this organization that pretends to be a church over the cliff.  Otherwise they would have listened to the millions and millions and millions of people who have been shouting at the top of their lungs – STOP.  Don’t do this.  See how well they have listened?

The quality of today’s pro basketball makes it unlikely that anybody will ever top Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game.  In his autobiography, Wilt said,

As I’ve traveled the world, I’ve probably had 10,000 people tell me that they saw my 100 point game at Madison Square Garden.  Well, the game was in Hershey and there were about 4,000 [actually 4,124] there.

That quote strikes me as the best possible metaphor for what we are dealing with when it comes to gay marriage.

Just EVERYBODY knows “life long monogamous lesbi/gay couples.”

EVERY community in EVERY nation has HORDES of said couples just agonizing because they can’t find an Episcopalian ceremony to bless their life long monogamous relationship.

The fact is, decent research from places like the University of Chicago (is that a right wing place now?) puts the homosexual population at around 2%.  Of this, some %, and probably a pretty small one, wants a marriage.  Shrink that down even more for those who want a religious ceremony.  Somewhere near the vanishing point, you’ll find a little cluster who want an EPISCOPALIAN ritual of some sort.  Actually, they’re pretty much all at a hotel in Indianapolis tonight.

Yet, studies show that many Americans think that somewhere around 30% – THIRTY PER CENT – of the U.S. population is homosexual.

With every TV series, movie or whatever required to feature one or more homosexual characters (always positive characters, by the way), it shouldn’t come as a surprise.  After all, every news panel or talk show bunch I hear lets it drop that they all know wonderful life long monogamous lesbi/gay couples suffering without marriage.

It is an epic piece of propaganda.  Sadly, like the 10,000 folks who told Wilt they were at his 100 point game, it’s pretty much a bunch of lies.

By Melanie Phillips

Michael Heidt in Indianapolis
www.virtueonline.org
July 9, 2012

After the House of Bishops passed resolutions D019 and D002, with the House of Deputies concurring on Monday, July 9, the Episcopal Church has become the first Christian denomination in history to officially affirm transgender sexuality and allow people who have had sex-changes, or “gender reassignment surgery,” to apply to be clergy.

Both Houses of the General Convention warmly welcomed this amendment to the church’s canon law, which now holds that “gender identity” and its “expression” should not exclude people from “the life of the church at any level.”

As reported in Virtueonline, the famously gay Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson, spoke warmly to both resolutions in earlier debate in the House of Bishops. Referring to D002, which specifically forbids the church from disbarring people from the ordination process on the basis of transgenderism, the bishop said, “We only ask ourselves to enact nondiscriminatory policies that we ask of the culture.”

Robinson also addressed gender identity issues while recommending the more generalized canon, D019, “I am still learning about this…we are on a huge learning curve. Transgender is a large umbrella. Gender identity the particular identity of what I am is not a physical manifestation. Whether a person chooses it through clothing or other means… many are born into a body that is not their gender identity.”

“Not all chose to have changes made in their physical bodies. Such gender identity and gender expression should not stand in way of life of governance of this church,” stated the controversial prelate.

Few bishops disagreed with Robinson, with the notable exceptions in the Bishop of Albany, Bill Love, the bishop of South Carolina, Mark Lawrence, and Waldo, Bishop of Upper South Carolina. As a mark of this approval, the publicity seeking Robinson, who has championed gay rights around the world, was later given a standing ovation by the House of Bishops on Monday, July 9, after complaining that he had been unfairly singled out by critics.

Similar unanimity was seen in the House of Deputies, with the overwhelming majority of persons speaking in favor of the resolutions. Speakers were often emotional and at times personal, “When I was five I first met a member of the transgendered community. I asked, ‘Mommy, why is that man wearing a dress?’… we need to not be a hypocritical church. We need to stick by that statement (The Episcopal Church Welcomes You) that the Episcopal Church welcomes everyone,” said a lay deputy from Massachusetts.

One, a college student from New Jersey, declared that transgender inclusion would boost evangelism. “I’m known on campus as everyone’s straight friend,” she said, “if we pass this (Resolution D002) pews would fill,” on campus and “across the country.”

The Bible was mentioned once, by a lay deputy from the Diocese of Alabama, who apparently unaware of the irony, quoted Isaiah 56: 4-5, 4, “For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant -

to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.” Isaiah, he believed, argues in favor of transgendered persons being eligible for ordination.

A small minority spoke against the resolutions. One, Rev. Jim Lewis of South Carolina, stated that he was “confused by gender identity and expression,” and would be hard pressed to explain these concepts to his congregation. “Is there anything that is out of bounds?” he asked. Canon Holt, from the Diocese of Central Florida, told the House that his diocese did “not discriminate against anyone, period,” but if there were “discriminations,” then “laying down the law would only harden hearts.”

Deputy Fish from the Diocese of Albany also spoke against the resolutions, but these voices gained little traction in a House that was clearly in favor of including transgendered people at all levels of church life. Both resolutions passed easily.

Pansexual agenda activists, such as Rev. Susan Russel, former head of gay rights pressure group, Integrity and noted lesbian, felt vindicated. “Today the Episcopal Church ‘put the T in equality’ by explicitly including transgender people in the work and witness of the Episcopal Church and as candidates to the ordained ministry,” wrote Russsel in a statement to episcopalcafe, “In voting to concur with the earlier actions of our bishops, the House of Deputies officially added gender identity and gender expression to the non-discrimination canons – making today a very good day to be an Episcopalian. “And it is not just a good day for transgender Episcopalians and their friends, families and allies. It is a good day for all of us who are part of a church willing to the risk to continue to draw the circle wider as we work to live out our call to make God’s inclusive love known to the whole human family.”

Others, who have left the Episcopal Church for orthodox Anglicanism, were less enthusiastic. The retired Bishop of Eau Claire, William Wantland, ripped into the Episcopal Church, stating to Virtueonline that “General Convention is not a Christian Body and we know this because neither it nor its members walk in Christ’s footsteps.”

Now that the Episcopal Church has enthusiastically embraced transgenderism, only time will tell if this rare demographic will flock to the pews in sufficient numbers to reverse what commentator has called the denomination’s “death-slide into transsexual oblivion.”

END