While some critics on both sides will take issue with Miller's decision, the vast majority of clergy are relieved to have something they can offer gay couples who seek to have their relationships sanctioned by the church, said Kevin Carroll, Dean of All Saints Cathedral and President of the Bishop's Standing Committee of Advisors.

"I'm pleased from the perspective that it gives people the latitude to move on in mission and ministry, which really we should be looking at," said Carroll, whose committee had urged Miller to allow the blessings.

"He had to figure out a way to maintain his own spiritual and theological integrity, and at the same time be a bishop in the church where this trajectory has been set."

Miller, who says he supports civil marriage equality, calls his decision "prayerful," and says it "reflects my understanding of the whole of the diocese."

In the Episcopal Diocese of Ft. Worth, the Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr., [the third Provisional] Bishop of [TEC] Fort Worth, sent a letter to the clergy of the [TEC] Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth setting out guidelines for the blessing of covenant relationships between people of the same sex. He did so to offer pastoral guidance to the priests of the diocese to enable them to offer "a generous pastoral response" to members of their congregations.

His action comes after two years of prayer, thoughtful consideration, and consultation with other bishops in the wake of the passage of Resolution A049, "Authorize Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships", by the 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church in July 2012 in Indianapolis. The resolution authorized "for trial use 'The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant' from 'Liturgical Resources I: I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing' beginning the First Sunday of Advent 2012, under the direction of a bishop exercising ecclesiastical authority."

Bishop High said his decision was guided by the two things he took away from the discussion in the House of Bishops at General Convention, which were "(1) the bishop's ability to decide for her or his diocese what path they would choose to follow and (2) the church's generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church," and by "the teaching of Jesus and what we say in our Baptismal Covenant."

He said the decision also was informed by his respect for the diversity of opinions on this issue among the people of the diocese, reflected in the fact that number 1 in the guidelines is "No priest, canonically resident or licensed, shall be required to participate in blessing of same-gender relationships.

"To be consistent with my pastoral concern for the clergy and congregations, I will ask for evidence that the congregation, through its vestry, support the clergy's desire to offer this liturgy. I will ask the senior warden to inform me of this support. We must remember that in the liturgies of the 'celebration and blessing of a marriage' and 'I will bless you and you will be a blessing', those who attend the service are asked to support these two persons in their life in Christ. So, this request of support by a congregation's leadership is both pastoral and practical (liturgical)."

High also noted that clergy are required to request permission each time they propose to use the liturgy of same-gender blessings. "Requests to use a liturgy for the blessing of same-gender couples must be received in my office at least 30 days prior to the date of the ceremony. "As a former, long time parish priest, I would offer the best pre-marital counseling I could, and I expect this same quality of counseling and generous care to be taken as we prepare this couple. At least one of the partners must be an Episcopalian who attends our church for a minimum of one year."

The Bishop added that if this is not the couples' first blessed union, or they were previously married, the priest and couple must comply with all the remarriage requirements before seeking permission from the bishop.

"At this time in Texas, even though there are challenges to our constitution and family code, no priest shall represent or characterize the church's blessing of same gender covenants as creating or solemnizing a marriage, civil union or legal relationship."

In a pastoral letter to his diocese, Bishop High said he was aware of the wonderful diversity of opinions held on all matters "in heaven and on earth." He also declared, "No priest from the diocese would be permitted to travel outside of the diocese to perform and bless a same gender covenant without written permission of the bishop of that diocese and notification of the bishop of our diocese. Priests from other dioceses may not perform same gender covenants in our diocese without permission of the bishop of the diocese."

VOL RESPONDS

The attempt to reverse what it means to be united as male and female in marriage and to recognize as marriage or civil union of two people of the same sex is a deep violation of the Doctrine of Creation given to us in the Book of Genesis. Genesis 1:27 records God creating mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female. This is reiterated in Genesis 5:2 where it is recorded he created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them "Mankind" when they were created.

Jesus, in turn, reiterates this in a discussion with the Pharisees over divorce recorded in Matthew 19:4, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female..."

Male and female implies complementarity which recognizes difference not sameness. Jesus does not address homosexuality because it was not part of Jewish law any more than bestiality or incest. Jesus addressed neither of these issues.

The Episcopal Church's efforts to downgrade, change or rewrite Scripture and hope that God is doing a "new thing" belies what God has already said, done and finalized. God has never opened the sexual matrix to allow any other form of sexual behavior.

What Episcopal Church bishops are doing is dangerous to both the spiritual and physical health of families and the future of the family in America. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, but some bishops are prepared apparently to take that risk, risking their own souls and the souls of others as they allow what God clearly has not.

END