A gay marriage resolution in the Episcopal Church has been passed by the House of Bishops, but B012 received yet another amendment in the process for approval and must be revisited again.
Bishop Greg Brewer, one of 11 people from the Diocese of Central Florida who are on hand for the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, reported in a video feed from Austin, Texas, that a “technical” amendment to Resolution B012 was made by the House of Bishops on Wednesday. That action means the oft-amended resolution now must go back to the House of Deputies for reconsideration and possible confirmation.
Resolution B012 grants same-sex and opposite-sex couples permission to use two trial-use marriage rites as stated in Resolution A054 that passed in the 2015 General Convention. The resolution passed the House of Deputies by an overwhelming margin on Monday, July 9.
But Resolution B012 does provide some relief for bishops who oppose gay marriage. The resolution stipulates that if a bishop does not theologically support same-sex marriage, he or she can request another bishop to give pastoral support to a couple asking for marriage rites, along with clergy and the respective congregation, according to the Episcopal News Service.
That resolution wasn’t acceptable, however, in its language and the House of Bishops on Wednesday made a technical amendment that defends a rector or priest’s decision in charge not to celebrate a same-sex marriage. Canon III.9.6(a) reflected the bishops’ amendment in the words: “provided that nothing in this resolve narrows the authority of the rector or priest-in-charge.”
The technical amendment, though, does not repudiate gay marriage in the Episcopal Church, but rather refines its scope of functionality from diocese to diocese.
“What it says, in essence, is that gay marriage is to be allowed in the entire Episcopal Church,” Bishop Brewer said. “It also says if there are congregations that want to perform gay marriages in their Diocese and their bishop is theologically opposed to it, what has to happen is that they need to appeal to the bishop, and then the bishop at that point grants them the capacity to be under the authority of another bishop of his choosing or her choosing, the bishop’s choosing.
“So, that, in essence, matters of marriage, all matters of marriage are now under the authority of another bishop in a congregation that still is a full member in the diocese in which the buildings are located,” Bishop Brewer said. “So, you have a parish in a particular diocese (that is) under the bishop of that diocese, but they want to do gay marriage and therefore they appeal to the bishop and (that) bishop assigns them another bishop who will function as a pastor in all matters of marriage.
“It’s still, because of some technical glitches, has to go back to Deputies for confirmation and if there’s any resolution that will probably have the most visible and present impact on our churches, it’s that one,” Bishop Brewer said. “We can expect to see some changes happen and it really will be up to the bishops in each of those dioceses, including the Diocese of Central Florida, to figure out what that may actually look like because it raises a lot of questions as you can certainly imagine.”
In other legislative news, Bishop Brewer said both houses passed what is called the “Communion Across Difference” task force proposal. A task force of no more than 14 people, evenly split with seven representatives who are for gay marriage, and seven who are not, will comprise the task force.
Bishop Brewer said he thinks Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will appoint task force members within 30 to 60 days of the conclusion of the General Convention, which ends Friday, July 13. Bishop Brewer said the task force will have plenty to consider when it meets.
“How can we find a long-term way to live together?” Bishop Brewer said. “Are there ways that we can work out, in essence, some kind of truce? How’s it being done in other parts of the communion? The call is to consult widely across the Church, meaning across our communion, as well as other ecumenical partners, and to come up with some sort of solution to be presented at the next convention.
“Since that passed, it will now fall to that group, people that the Presiding Bishop appoints, to say this present arrangement that we have, which is around the possibility of getting some sort of Episcopal oversight for a congregation that wants do gay marriage in a diocese where the Bishop does not approve it, (that) there still has to be a better long-term solution,” Bishop Brewer said. “So, we’ll see what happens with that. I’m hopeful, actually, that that task force will help all of us in the Episcopal Church come together and find a way forward that allows us to be able to live together in the midst of what is, in fact, a significant doctrinal difference.”
Bishop Brewer said houses also got to preview the budget, but haven’t voted on it as of Wednesday, July 11. “As I reported (Tuesday night), there was to be no money for renovation of the Prayer Book and sure enough, that’s exactly what happened. While several hundred thousand dollars had been set aside for Prayer Book translation, no money was allocated for revising liturgy. So, now, while we have a resolution that has passed both houses not to do Prayer Book revision, but to create new liturgies, at present there’s no money in the budget. That doesn’t mean the executive council can’t find money to be able to do this, but at least in terms of the money we have seen right now, there is no money present.”
Also highlighting the day were continued festivities around the Episcopal Church readmitting the Diocese of Cuba for the first time since 1957. The Diocese of Cuba will be part of Province II.
“There were flags, Cuban flags, lots of excitement” Bishop Brewer said. “Tears and gratitude that they were received back into the Episcopal Church, again getting an immediate seat voice.”