This is a 2007 contributed photo of Sean Rowe, bishop of the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul in Erie.
Posted on 07/04/2012 5:02:06 AM PDT by Cronos
As the Episcopal Church's governing body gathers this week, members are preparing to discuss church recognition of same-sex couples living in committed relationships.
"We anticipate that the church will approve a rite for blessing same-gender relationships," the Right Rev. Sean Rowe, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, said.
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"I do plan to authorize same-gender blessings in this diocese," Rowe said in a letter to members before the convention.
The Episcopalians aren't alone in considering same-gender issues this month. At the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly, commissioners are considering whether marriage is between "a woman and a man" or "two people."
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Presbyterians also are talking about allowing pastors to perform same-sex marriages in states where it's legal. ..
The 58-congregation Presbytery of Lake Erie voted against eliminating the fidelity and chastity requirement in 2011. Several presbyteries have called for it to be restored.
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The Erie bishop said there are people in same-gender relationships who also have a relationship with God, are faithful Christians and desire the church's blessing. He said they should no longer be considered second-class.
"I believe it's now time for us to begin to recognize those relationships, that the church blesses them," he said.
Rowe said the church blessing for same-gender couples would have the "same expectation of monogamy and fidelity and lifelong commitment" as marriage between men and women.
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McCarty said members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community who are Episcopalians or Presbyterians are "probably hoping their churches will be as welcoming as possible."
This is a 2007 contributed photo of Sean Rowe, bishop of the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul in Erie.
(Excerpt) Read more at goerie.com ...
I think that question has been answered.
Absolute blasphemy. It is hard to see how a person saying this could be a Christian. God doesn't give us a choice on which parts of His will we want to follow. Willful disobedience of one part is sinful no matter how much one tries to dress it up in nice-speak.
This so-called "church" is totally failing in its obligation of real love to a fallen and sinful people. It is the equivalent to throwing gasoline on someone who has caught their hair on fire.
“Presbyterians also are talking about allowing pastors to perform same-sex marriages in states where it’s legal.”
I know it is only some Presbyterians, but how would you like to belong to a group that wouldn’t perform a marriage unless the state gave its permission? They are so beholden to the state to define the institution they are not going to marry members of their faith over it, even though they believe ‘gay marriage’ is possible?! That might be more insane than buying into ‘gay marriage’ in the first place. “Sorry Ted and Ned, but the state says no, and they define marriage for us state by state, so no marriage for you even though we believe gay marriage is possible, tough luck!” Just bizarre.
I mean what if the state quit issuing marriage licenses to them altogether, no more married members of this particular flavour of Presbyterians?
Freegards
I would humbly submit that some would greatly prefer rationalizing the point of view they already hold, rather than seeking the Truth. A tragedy is not lessened by this, but rather increased. For people to people to recognize the Truth, and to amend their ways, we must pray often, and fervently.
My grandfather and great-grandfather were presbyterian ministers. I do not know what they would have thought of this. I do strongly suspect we will see more of this from the denominations, as the government continues it’s nefarious path. Pray.
What was very funny to me is that the words used are EXACTLY the same as those used in Church except that one swears to the state instead of to God!
And that is the replacement of God with state
Obama will rush to make it illegal for any church to refuse 'gay marriage'
Many have been conditioned to think that marriage comes from the state, as pieces of paper that denote a contract that can be broken and resumed between any parties the state allows for. And that is it. The definition the state uses is simply whatever judges, pols or the majority think it is at any one time. It was always a danger, at least in the modern era. Pope Leo XIII warned about what would come of it 130 years ago:
“Now, since the family and human society at large spring from marriage, these men will on no account allow matrimony to be the subject of the jurisdiction of the Church. Nay, they endeavor to deprive it of all holiness, and so bring it within the contracted sphere of those rights which, having been instituted by man, are ruled and administered by the civil jurisprudence of the community. Wherefore it necessarily follows that they attribute all power over marriage to civil rulers, and allow none whatever to the Church; and, when the Church exercises any such power, they think that she acts either by favor of the civil authority or to its injury. Now is the time, they say, for the heads of the State to vindicate their rights unflinchingly, and to do their best to settle all that relates to marriage according as to them seems good.”
The state can do great things with the institution, but it is a double edged sword. The involvement is also a tool for statists and homosexualists. A recent poll had 40% of folks believing marriage comes from man and thus the gubberment.
Freegards
Blasphemy.
**heading at top speed to perdition**
Ditto! Very fast.
Exactly. Even worse, the episcopalians are actively and willfully rejecting both God's positive will for sexual relations (male and female leaving their parents and cleaving to one another) and God's declaration in both the Old and New Testaments that homosexual acts are an abomination.
Christians sin. The difference is that we do not have to be slaves to it. Here, in contrast, the episcopalians are helping tighten the chains around unsaved people trapped in sexual immorality or preventing Christians trapped in that lifestyle from seeing how ungodly and sinful that lifestyle really is. As I said before, that's not love for the sinner.
My pastor has given some great sermons on this topic. What the episcopalians are doing is idolatry. This is the kind of thinking that says "God didn't really mean that because that's not what I believe." In adopting that attitude, the person is attempting to create a new god to worship, one that agrees with what that person wants and believes. That little god is so poor and pathetic that it is not even a pale imitation of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
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