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TechnoratiOne new resolution that will be introduced and debated at this week’s General Convention will seek to extend a key marriage ritual to gay and lesbian couples, particularly in the six states that recognize same-sex marriages – Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Iowa and Connecticut.
"In all six states, faithful Episcopalians are asking that their church provide the pastoral support and blessing of the church for their marriages," reads an explanation attached to the resolution. "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 Diocese of Massachusetts is further calling on the General Convention to amend references in The Episcopal Church's canon laws on marriage from "a man and a woman" to "two adults."
The loudest of the calls, arguably, is that of some dioceses to repeal or retract B033, a resolution passed in 2006 that calls for restraint in ordaining bishops "whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church" – mainly noncelibate homosexuals.
The Diocese of Newark argues that B033 was never intended to be permanent and that it was only passed to prevent further fractioning of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Anglican leaders overseas, however, have warned The Episcopal Church against rescinding resolution B033 or passing any resolution that would further put the American church body at odds with the larger Anglican Church.
The Most Rev. Drexel Gomez, the Archbishop of the West Indies and chairman of the Covenant Working Group, said in May that if the General Convention rescinds resolution B033 and removes any barriers to persons involved in same-sex relationships, it will "imperil" the work of the Covenant and will have an impact on the rest of the communion because of the responses others will need to make.
In her opening address Tuesday, Jefferts Schori reminded the General Convention that its triennial gathering is always a time of critical decision-making.
“The decision-making we face here is an opportunity to choose the direction of our journey into God’s mission,” she said.
“We will fail if we choose business as usual,” the presiding bishop added.
This week’s General Convention, the 76th, comes two months after the Anglican Consultative Council, a decision-making body of bishops, clergy and laity, reaffirmed the moratoria on the consecration of partnered gay bishops and the authorization of public rites blessing same-sex unions.
The council also voted to delay the release of the Anglican covenant – a document seeking to uphold the autonomy of the Communion’s 38 provinces while asking for their voluntary commitment to a process of joined-up deliberation to solve disputes over contentious issues – in order to make more revisions.
