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WASHINGTON, DC: Catholic, Episcopal Bishops Clash Over Meaning of Marriage
News Analysis
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
11/17/2009
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington and the Episcopal Bishop of Washington are at odds over same-sex marriage.
Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl issued a Pastoral Message for Homosexual Catholics in the Archdiocese of Washington saying that of the many teachings of the Catholic Church, perhaps some of the most challenging for Catholics in today’s culture involve human sexuality, including homosexuality.
“Modern cultural pressures and assumptions are often at odds with the teachings of Christ handed down through the centuries. For some parishioners the issues are deeply personal. Living out the Church’s teaching can be a difficult challenge. Yet, no one needs to do this separated from the grace and love of the Church.
“It is important to affirm that the Catholic Church is and always will be welcoming of any person who seeks who seeks a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ….The Catechism of the Catholic Church upholds the human dignity of every person and condemns any form of unjust discrimination (2358).”
Episcopal Bishop John Byson Chane however announced his support for the D.C. marriage legislation.
Chane gave his support for legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia and made his endorsement in a column on the Web site of The Washington Post: http://tinyurl.com/yaze3xu
Noting that recent media coverage has pitted conservative Christians against liberal secularists, the bishop articulated what he called a Christian case for same-sex marriage.
“I would say respectfully to my fellow Christians that people who deny others the blessings they claim for themselves should not assume they speak for the Almighty,” Chane said. “The church has deepened its understanding of the way in which faithful couples experience and embody the love of the creator for creation. In so doing, it has put itself in a position to consider whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
“Theologically, therefore, Christian support for same-sex marriage is not a dramatic break with tradition, but a recognition that the church’s understanding of marriage has changed dramatically over 2,000 years. “
Chane also praised the D.C. Council for its sensitivity to issues of religious liberty.
“[I]t's important to emphasize that the actions taken by the D.C. Council do not address the religious meaning of marriage at all,” he wrote. “The proposed legislation would not force any congregation to change its religious teachings or bless any couple. Our current laws do not force any denomination to offer religious blessing to second marriages, yet those marriages, like interfaith marriages, are equal in the sight of the law even though some churches do not consider them religiously valid.
“D.C.’s proposed marriage equality law explicitly protects the religious liberty of those who believe that God’s love can be reflected in the loving commitment between two people of the same sex and of those who do not find God there. This is as it should be in a society so deeply rooted in the principles of religious freedom and equality under the law.”
Like many Episcopal bishops, Chane permits the clergy in his diocese to bless same-sex relationships. He said the diocese is examining the church’s canons to determine whether priests will be allowed to sign marriage licenses if same-sex marriage becomes legal.
It should be observed that the Roman Catholic Archdiocese has 580,000 communicants while the Episcopal Diocese of Washington has an Average Sunday Attendance of 15,364. The diocese dropped 1.3% in attendance between 2008 and 2007. The Diocese is basically propped up financially by the Soper Fund.
As one observer noted, “The canard about divorce providing the rationale for homosexual behavior persists. Chane's citing of the 1979 Prayer Book marital rite is an archetypal example of the 'slippery slope' of theological revisionism. It is interesting that the bishop turns to a 30-year old TEC document drafted by a General Convention rather than Holy Scripture.”
END
