Rev Peter Cowell and Rev Dr David Lord
Posted on 06/14/2008 4:51:35 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
An Anglican church has held a homosexual "wedding" for the first time in a move that will deepen the rift between liberals and traditionalists, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.
Two male priests exchanged vows and rings in a ceremony that was conducted using one of the church's most traditional wedding rites – a decision seen as blasphemous by conservatives.
Rev Peter Cowell and Rev Dr David Lord
The ceremony broke Church of England guidelines and was carried out last month in defiance of the Bishop of London, in whose diocese it took place. News of the "wedding" emerged days before a crucial summit of the Anglican Church's conservative bishops and archbishops, who are threatening to split the worldwide Church over the issue of homosexual clergy.
Although some liberal clergy have carried out "blessing ceremonies" for homosexual couples in the past, this is the first time a vicar has performed a "wedding ceremony", using a traditional marriage liturgy, with readings, hymns and a Eucharist.
Both the conservative and liberal wings of the Anglican communion expressed shock last night.
The Most Rev Henry Orombi, the Archbishop of Uganda, said that the ceremony was "blasphemous." He called on Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to take decisive action if the Anglican Church were not to "disintegrate". Archbishop Orombi added: "What really shocks me is that this is happening in the Church of England that first brought the Gospel to us.
"The leadership tried to deny that this would happen, but now the truth is out. Our respect for the Church of England will erode unless we see a return to traditional teaching."
The Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester – a powerful conservative figure – said that the service represented a wedding "in all but name". He said: "Strictly speaking it is not a marriage, but the language is clearly modelled on the marriage service and the occasion is modelled on the marriage service. This clearly flouts Church guidelines and will exacerbate divisions within the Anglican Communion."
The bishop said that it was up to the Rt Rev Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, to act, adding that it would become a high-profile test case of Church authority.
"Can we stand for the clear teaching of the Church of England or are we powerless in the face of these actions, which I regret enormously have taken place," he said.
The service was held at St Bartholomew the Great in London – one of England's oldest churches, which featured in Four Weddings and a Funeral – and was conducted by the parish rector, the Rev Martin Dudley.
The couple, the Rev Peter Cowell, who is a cleric at one of the Queen's churches, and the Rev Dr David Lord, had registered their civil partnership before the ceremony.
Mr Dudley opened the service by saying: "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join these men in a holy covenant of love and fidelity. Such a covenant shows us the mystery of the union between God and God's people and between Christ and the Church." In the vows, Mr Cowell and Dr Lord pledged to "hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part".
Mr Dudley blessed the union with the words: "As David and Jonathan's souls were knit together, so these men may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made."
Leading church figures expressed astonishment at the language and grandeur of the service, claiming that it was a highly provocative act. Although, the use of such a traditional ceremony does not constitute a marriage in the eyes of the law, Church figures on all sides said the event went further than any gay blessing ceremonies that had gone before.
The "marriage" will revive the war over homosexual clergy that has engulfed the Church since 2003 when Gene Robinson was made Bishop of New Hampshire and Jeffrey John, another gay cleric, who was about to become Bishop of Reading, was made to step down.
It is likely to embolden liberal clergy who have been reluctant to offer a full "wedding service" and will open the floodgates to other homosexuals who want a traditional ceremony.
Mr Dudley agreed to conduct the service despite Bishop Chartres warning that Church guidelines – drawn up when the Civil Partnerships Act was introduced – do not allow formal blessings of gay relationships. He argued that it was not a wedding but a blessing and that he was not "offering" blessing services, but responding to personal requests from friends. "I believe that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, but I see nothing wrong with blessing a couple who want to make a life-long commitment to one another."
A Church of England spokesman said: "Where clergy are approached by people asking for prayer in relation to entering into a civil partnership they should respond pastorally and sensitively in the light of the circumstances. But the House of Bishops affirmed that clergy should not provide services of blessing for those who register a civil partnership."
‘in defiance of the Bishop of London’ what has he done about it- It’s as much his fault if he does nothing
Cowell is 50 . None of the articles I’ve read mention the age of Lord for some reason . He looks a heck of a lot younger . Must be one of those “ Daddy “ deals , huh ?
For this was Britain's first gay "wedding", held in one of the Church of England's oldest and most attractive churches.
St Bartholomew the Great at West Smithfield, in the City of London, dates from the 12th century but it can have seen few more historic events than this.
Greeted with a fanfare of trumpets, the Rev Peter Cowell and the Rev Dr David Lord celebrated their civil union with the kind of pomp and pageantry reserved for royal weddings. The couple walked up the aisle to Mendelssohn's march from A Midsummer Night's Dream dressed in morning suits, with their bridesmaids and best men following behind.
A robed choir sang in Latin as incense was burned on the high altar.
The service was rooted in the most traditional style, from the music to the liturgy, which was based on the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The Rev Martin Dudley addressed the congregation: "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together these men in a holy covenant of love and fidelity."
To conservative Anglicans the use of those words in such circumstances might be blasphemous, but the packed pews indicated the level of support for the couple.
Family and friends from as far away as New Zealand, where Dr Lord grew up, joined in the hymns, which included Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven and All My Hope on God is Founded. Marie Cowell read from the Book of 1 Corinthians before her son, who is a hospital chaplain at Barts and priest at Westminster Abbey – one of the Queen's churches – exchanged vows with his partner.
"I, Peter, take thee, David, as my partner, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better and for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; and thereto I pledge thee my troth."
Placing the ring on the fourth finger of his partner's hand, he continued: "With this ring I thee bind, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."
They then recited poems from Shakespeare and Philip Sidney to one another, before taking part in communion, which was received by more than half the congregation.
Among those celebrating with the couple were some of the Church's most senior clergy, including Canon Robert Wright from Westminster Abbey and chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons.
"It was incredibly grand – the most spectacular wedding I've ever been to," said one guest. "They had a 10-tier wedding cake. I've never seen a cake that big."
A champagne reception was held in the Great Hall of St Bartholomew's Hospital, where Dr Lord, an ordained priest, works as a doctor. It is there they met five years ago.
They left in an open landau and headed for the Ivy restaurant with close friends and family.
Reverend Martin Dudley, who led the service, shows the Queen around St Bartholomew the Great in 2004
I started laughing at your post, and then I realized...it probably won’t even take 15 years this time.
Rumblings in the Body over this one. This one might get spewed.
“Fudge Packers”
Well, DUH.... we can see that you see nothing wrong, Einstein.
Wonder what God sees?
Please. The article is bad enough. Don’t make it worse.
For God's sake, stand up and fight.
Utter nonsense!
Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
God help us.
Wolf! Wolf!
Legalistic parsing that Bill Clinton would admire.
They don’t have the balls to deal with this abomination in their church ranks properly. Let the denomination fail and let the righteous within go to other, sound branches of Christianity.
Anyway, the Muslims will soon take care of the homosexual brits pretty soon, and it isn’t going to be ery pretty at all.
Anglican ping
Read the comments in post 35 — disgusting pack of lies!
My comments were a disgusting pack of lies?
you ASK for it... you GOT it... ZOT!!!
Not enough of your comments to constitute a pack of lies. I’m sure he meant the quoted material.
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