Click here to read an interview with Bishop Hollerith regarding the General Convention resolution A049, the blessing of same gender unions. The Bishop addresses these questions:
- What was your reaction to the Episcopal Church’s recent decision to allow the Blessing of Same-gender unions and did you vote in favor?
- What exactly has the Episcopal Church authorized in this new decision?
- Will you authorize the use of the provisional liturgy for Covenantal Blessings of same-gender unions in the Diocese of Southern Virginia.
- Will the Clergy at some point be required to bless same-gender unions?
- Can you explain from your perspective how it is that the Church can make this decision in light of what the Bible teaches us about homosexuality?
- But what about the creation story in Genesis? Some have claimed that since God created us male and female, same-gender relationships fall short of what God intends for us.
- Isn’t this new liturgy essentially the same thing as Christian marriage?
- What preparation will a same-gender couple have to receive in order to have their relationship blessed by the clergy using the new rite?
- Why are some Episcopal Dioceses allowing clergy to perform same-gender “marriage”?
- Now that the provisional rite has been introduced are you optimistic about the future of the Episcopal Church?
A new resource posted on our Resource page is "Why the Church changes its mind on one thing or another," an article by the Rev. Howard Hanchey. Click on the "Resource" tab above.
Posting by James Deviese, Christ the King.
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree with the bishop. On a practical level, I believe that the recent vote in Indianapolis will further the membership decline within TEC. As other denominatinal decicisons of the past forty years have also done, this sexuality vote will have a baneful effect upon national membership. I do not know many traditional Christians who will want to rear young children in such a sexually ambiguous and obsessed milieu.
Second, I also disagree with the bishop that there are only seven Bible passages which deal with homosexuality and that these passages can be interpreted to allow for the practice of homosexuality. Suffice to say for now that the references to man and woman in the opening chapters of Genesis were interpreted by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 19:4,5. "...Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?"
Thank you Bishop Hollerith! I am so glad that you have set out your reponses to the many questions folks have about the Blessing of Same Gender relationships. Thank you for your leadership and vision for this Diocese!
ReplyDeleteSusan Pederson
St. Stephen's - Norfolk