As the episcopal Church has approved homosexual marriage
Article published on the website of the broadcaster at Jazeera America (United States) on July 1, 2015, freely translated by Laura C.
The Episcopalian Church of the United States last Wednesday has almost unanimously approved a motion that allows homosexual couples to marry according to the religious ceremony of the community, confirming its support for gay wedding after the Supreme Court has legalized them across the country. Reverenda Bonnie Perry of Chicago, married lesbian with another presbytera of the Episcopalian Church, embraced some supporters on Wednesday and said: "Now we are all included."
The Church, which is part of the Anglican communion, in 2012 became the greatest religious denomination in the United States to approve a special liturgy for the blessing of the same sex couples, including gay marriages in the states where they were already legal. Although some members of the clergy and the Laicists did not agree with the proposal presented to the three -year convention of the church which was held in Salt Lake City, the Chamber of Deputies (House of Deputies) of the denomination has made an agreement with the Chamber of Bishops (House of bishops), which on Tuesday approved with an overwhelming majority the resolution through a separate vote.
"In 1976, the Church promised a full and equal affirmation of the LGBT members and have spent all these years trying to put that resolution into practice" Reverend Susan Russell of the diocese of Los Angeles said: "Today's act is a great step ... towards the promised land of a church that fully includes all its members " He said. Reverend Neal Michell, however, dean of the cathedral of St. Matthew in Dallas, said he opposed the unions because "the teaching of the scriptures says that the marriage itself is between a man and a woman. This is the doctrine of the Book of Common Prayer and our catechism ".
According to the new rules, each member of the clergy can choose whether or not to celebrate gay marriages. The Episcopalian Church is the fourteenth largest denomination of the United States, with about 2 million belonging, according to the National Council of Churches. The result of the vote eliminates the specific references to the genre from the rules of the church on the marriage, so that the same sex couples can celebrate religious weddings. Instead of "husband" and "wife", for example, the new ecclesiastical legislation will refer to the "couple". With these new rules, the clergy can choose to celebrate homosexual weddings or not. The changes were approved with 173 votes in favor and 27 against. The deputies also approved a neutral prayer service regarding the genre of the spouses, with 184 votes in favor and 23 against. The measures will come into force from the first Sunday of Advent, on November 29th.
In 2003, the members elected Gene Robinson, who lives with his partner, as a bishop of the diocese of New Hampshire and this led to contrasts with the conservative dioceses of the USA and some members of the Anglican communion, especially in Africa. The Episcopalian Church is combined with two other historical Protestant groups that allow gay marriage in all their congregations: the united Church of Christ and the presbyterian Church of the United States. The Lutheran Evangelical Church of America, with 3.8 million faithful, lets the different congregations choose, many of which host gay marriages. The united Methodist Church, so far the largest historical Protestant Church with 12.8 million belonging, prohibits gay marriage, despite many of his shepherds have recently officiated weddings between people of the same sex for protest.
The Episcopalian Church is the American wing of Anglican communion, a group of churches that includes 80 million faithful all over the world. The relationships between the Anglicans have become more tied since the Episcopalians elected the bishop Gene Robinson in 2003, who lived openly with their partner in a homosexual relationship, at the helm of the Diocese of New Hampshire. Many conservative episcopalis have separated or distanced themselves from the United States National Church after the election.
Original text: Episcopalians to Allaw Gay Marriage in Churches
