Posted on 09/09/2005 6:13:36 PM PDT by sionnsar
The Rev. John C. Danforth, an Episcopal priest who previously served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. senator from Missouri, recently told a political gathering in St. Louis he was open to performing rites for the blessing of same-sex unions, but would not officiate at a gay “marriage.”
Speaking to the St. Louis chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans (which describes itself as “the leading voice for fairness, inclusion and tolerance in the GOP”) Fr. Danforth rejected calls for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, saying it was “nothing more than gay bashing.”
He told The Living Church on Sept. 9 he viewed “marriage as a religious institution, to be defined by religions, as contracted with whatever civil arrangements the state chooses to recognize.”
“Marriage, as a religious institution, is, as the prayer book says, ‘the joining together of [a] man and [a] woman’,” he said, noting he “would not officiate at a same-gender marriage, because “I don’t think it is marriage.
“I would welcome into the full life of the Church a committed same-sex couple, and I would bless such a relationship, but I would not call it marriage, and I would not conduct the blessing in a way that made it appear to be a marriage,” he said, adding that “all of this is hypothetical, as I have retired from the active ministry, and decline to officiate at weddings except for close family members.”
The courts and the U.S. Constitution are the wrong places for resolving ethical questions such as abortion rights or gay marriage, Fr. Danforth said in his address, because they close off debate on evolving moral issues before consensus can be achieved. He later told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch his words were part of a campaign to lessen the control of religious conservatives within the Republican Party, something he believed had unnecessarily polarized American politics.
In a widely circulated opinion piece that appeared in the New York Times on June 17, he said, “In the decade since I left the Senate, American politics has been characterized by two phenomena: the increased activism of the Christian right … and the collapse of bipartisan collegiality. I do not think it is a stretch to suggest a relationship between the two.”
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this moderately high-volume ping list (typically 3-9 pings/day).
This list is pinged by sionnsar and newheart.
Resource for Traditional Anglicans: http://trad-anglican.faithweb.com
Humor: The Anglican Blue (by Huber)
Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15
Sen. Danforth seems to have gone 'round the bend. Dad always said he was squirrelly.
I wonder if there are any other abominations in the eyes of God that the Senator believes we should "bless"?
I'd be afraid to ask.
This guy calls himself a Christian clergyman, and yet he would participate in a rite that sanctions and promotes and "sanctifies" homosexual activity, which by its very nature is sinful and has always and everywhere been held such in the Christian church? And also, where does this jerk get off claiming that one cannot have a principled opposition to civil same sex marriage and seek a constitutional amendment to prevent activist judges from imposing such without being "gay bashers"?
He's right, of course, that a "blessing" is not a "marriage." Blessing a cohabiting heterosexual couple (which I assume he would also do, if asked) is not a marriage. Blessing a baby is not a Baptism. Blessing a truck doesn't pay off the loan.
Lotta weird thinking out there ... I wonder what General-Bishop Leonidas Polk would think?
Ugh. This is just awful. Senator Danforth has forgotten his Bible, assuming he ever knew it, or even cares.
*"Evolving morality" is the rhetorical burqa a feckless man uses to try and and cover-up vice.
Danforth is a coward trying to take the middle road. Either that or he's just a loser.
I guess he beleives in an evolving bible as well as an evolving constitution. I think somewhere in the bible it says God does not change. Something about the same yesterday, today and forever. Wonder if he has read that. He is one of those it depends of what the meaning of is is.
"Blessing a truck doesn't pay off the loan.".......Great line Tax-Chick.
I don't think the Right Reverend General Leonidas Polk would've thought much of this idea of "Blessing" Homosexual Unions. He probably would have defrocked Danforth and kicked him to the curb!
Thanks - we have a new truck :-).
Gen. Polk would have no time for this nonsense. I'm still amazed that the church that produced General Polk, among other fine Confederates, should be going down to Hell over homosexuality, of all the stupid things.
This priest also spewed this same nonsense. So, it must be in the Liberal "talking Points Memo." As he had "spoken" or I should say "lectured" us before on the the Holy Bible containing many Old Babylonian Myths, I guess he feels the Old Babylonians were around before the Creation, I never go when he is "speaking."
I spoke to one woman afterwards and she told me what he said and how she thought it was a wonderful "sermon" right after the consecration of a homosexual, to show that the Episcopal Church was understanding of homosoexuals but not going to equate them with married men and women.
My response to her was, "He must be a member of the Church of Laodicea. So tell me, you would have no qualms about the church blessing the relationship of your husband and his mistress?"
She said, "Oh,that's silly."
I told her to read Exodus and Romans and then tell me how silly it sounded to her then.
Its not just Homosexuality in the ECUS. The radicals have been slowly infiltrating the Church for many decades now to the point to where they control it. Of course its only an empty shell of its former self.
One piece of good news is a court in California has awarded a seceding Parish ownership of it's church property much to the consternation of the local Bishop.
As you probably know, the Episcopal Church is very wealthy in all kinds of property. Not only real property but also trusts, endowments, hospitals, etc. I believe that these Leftists have planned all along to run the orthodox Christians out so they can have their on piggy jar and play pen and continue to propogate their blasphemy and propaganda.
It seems that flagrant homosexuality is at the tail end (so to speak) of a long process that begins with abandoning Biblical Christianity. Perhaps we could even say that it begins with rejecting the Creator God. (But that's a whole 'nother can of worms :-).
It's good that the congregation in CA is keeping its property; maybe this will set a precedent for other courts.
A bit like blessing an adulterous affair between a married man and his mistress.
But he is not a follower of the Christ, Y'shua
b'shem Y'shua
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.