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."
Mr Dudley said he was unrepentant. He said he had written to Bishop Chartres 18 months ago for guidance on blessings for same-sex couples in civil partnerships, but was told the Church’s House of Bishops had not approved them.
‘Bishop Chartres asked me not to offer them and I do not offer them,’ he said.
‘But if close friends ask me to bless them, I do not say no.
‘It would be an act of hypocrisy to do anything else.
I was ordained alongside gay candidates of the priesthood and many of my clergy friends are gay, though I am not.’
The Anglican Church needs to follow the Pope’s lead and order a stop to the ordination of Gay clergy.
The Bishops need to be unambiguous in their direction and absolutely ban the blessing of Gay unions in the Church.
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>>Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join these men in a holy covenant of love and fidelity.
Oh Lord, I think there’s something wrong with this recipe.
Look on the bright side: both you and I learned a new word today.
Last I checked, Christ is quite male and the Church is a pure spotless bride (or comparable language), which implies a female.
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."
Last I checked, neither David nor Jonathan were homosexual.
The Anglican Communion is in for a major zotting from the Holy of Holies.
Very few things more disgusting than a 50ish homosexual taking advantage of a sexually confused young man.
My mom's a professional dancer, so I've seen quite a few of these "couples". It's exploitation pure and simple, the vibe they give off is "Chester the Molester."
They started this a long time ago, rejecting the existence of any male friendship and calling it "homosexual bonding". C.S. Lewis remarked on it in The Four Loves:
"Kisses, tears and embraces are not in themselves evidence of homosexuality. The implications would be, if nothing else, too comic. Hrothgar embracing Beowulf, Johnson embracing Boswell (a pretty flagrantly heterosexual couple) and all those hairy old toughs of centurions in Tacitus, clinging to one another and begging for last kisses when the legion was broken up...all pansies? If you can believe it you can believe anything.”
It was sugarcoated with wedding retinues, flowers, choir, rings, important guests, reception and a massive wedding cake.....all carefullly orchestrated to catch the gaping attention of the uneducated, unaware, unsophisticated, tabloid-hooked sheep in the world-wide fold.
That some temporal shepherds of the flock abet, encourage, approve and participate in this blasphemy is obscene.
God is pretty clear in the admonition to Christians to not "sow to the flesh" (live hedonistically for themselves) which is what we see in these satanic weddings.
"Be not decieved; God is not mocked! For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. FOR HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH, SHALL REAP CORRUPTION. He that soweth to the Spirit shall reap life everlasting."
What more can one say about these nauseating weddings. I think God's Word is the final say-so.
Leni (Missouri Synod Lutheran)
You said it, Leni!
One photo,
two queens!
Leni
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“Be not decieved; God is not mocked! For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. FOR HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH, SHALL REAP CORRUPTION. He that soweth to the Spirit shall reap life everlasting.”
It bears repeating, MinuteGal. I don’t think the participants in this blasphemy believe the first part. Sad, but that also means they miss out on the more important second part, which is life everlasting.
Eeeowww!
Leni
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