Senior Anglican sanctions liturgy for gay couples
-09/01/05
A senior Anglican bishop has
Senior Anglican sanctions liturgy for gay couples
-09/01/05
A senior Anglican bishop has commissioned the Church of Englandís first official service to recognise amongst other types of relationship gay couples and cohabiting heterosexuals, reports the Sunday Times.
John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln, has instructed staff to draw up the liturgy in which those in ìnon-marriage relationshipsî are able to step forward in church and give thanks to God for their union.
The move is not a ìmarriageî service, but has predictably angered some traditionalists.
Unofficial blessings of gay relationships in parish churches are already on the increase. Ceremonies by Anglican priests blessing lesbian and gay partnerships rose by 10 per cent last year to 300 in England, reports suggest. The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) recently increased its print run of same-sex liturgy in anticipation of a thousand blessings a year under the new Civil Partnerships Act recognising same-sex unions.
But never before has a diocese or a bishop sanctioned a rite for homosexual relationships.
ìWhen I arrived in the diocese,î said Saxbee, ìI saw a member of the clergy become a victim of tabloid sensationalism for being prepared to support same-sex friendships liturgically. Part of the impetus behind this initiative was to provide a way clergy could do that with diocesan support.î
Saxbee argues that the new service will be ìconsistent with current Anglican guidelinesî because it does not claim to sanctify or bless a relationship, but simply gives thanks for a friendship.
Critics, however, see this distinction as semantic and say his move damages efforts to uphold the institution of marriage.
ìWhoís kidding who?î said David Banting, chairman of the Conservative pressure group Reform, which claims to be the largest evangelical grouping in the Church of England.
ìWould liturgy for this sort of relationship have come forward for friendshipís sake were it not for the pressure from the gay lobby?î
A draft of the service has been completed and the committee responsible has suggested four books to help as a resource in planning services. Three of the four are “gay prayer books” reports the Sunday Times.
Two years ago Saxbee publicly backed a vicar in his diocese who was blessing same-sex unions. He said then: ìI have indicated I would not stand in the way so long as he abides by my condition that they must not be made to look like marriages.î
The draft service has been produced by the Lincoln liturgical committee, chaired by Tim Ellis, Archdeacon of Stow. It includes a welcome and an opening reading chosen from about a dozen passages in the Bible on the nature of friendship. At one point couples step forward towards the altar and with the priest give thanks to God for the relationship.
There is then an opportunity for the couple to declare a commitment, and an address and chance to exchange gifts. The service can be used by close friends, not necessarily couples with a sexual relationship.
Peter Godden, rector of Owmby in Lincolnshire and secretary of the liturgical committee, said: ìWe do recognise that the service will be used by same-sex couples, but we have not provided any specific references to any kind of relationship or friendship.î
Martin Reynolds, spokesman for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said: ìLincoln should be congratulated. There will undoubtedly be a number of gay couples who will use this service and it sets a good example for other Anglican dioceses to follow.î
Senior Anglican sanctions liturgy for gay couples
-09/01/05
A senior Anglican bishop has commissioned the Church of Englandís first official service to recognise amongst other types of relationship gay couples and cohabiting heterosexuals, reports the Sunday Times.
John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln, has instructed staff to draw up the liturgy in which those in ìnon-marriage relationshipsî are able to step forward in church and give thanks to God for their union.
The move is not a ìmarriageî service, but has predictably angered some traditionalists.
Unofficial blessings of gay relationships in parish churches are already on the increase. Ceremonies by Anglican priests blessing lesbian and gay partnerships rose by 10 per cent last year to 300 in England, reports suggest. The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) recently increased its print run of same-sex liturgy in anticipation of a thousand blessings a year under the new Civil Partnerships Act recognising same-sex unions.
But never before has a diocese or a bishop sanctioned a rite for homosexual relationships.
ìWhen I arrived in the diocese,î said Saxbee, ìI saw a member of the clergy become a victim of tabloid sensationalism for being prepared to support same-sex friendships liturgically. Part of the impetus behind this initiative was to provide a way clergy could do that with diocesan support.î
Saxbee argues that the new service will be ìconsistent with current Anglican guidelinesî because it does not claim to sanctify or bless a relationship, but simply gives thanks for a friendship.
Critics, however, see this distinction as semantic and say his move damages efforts to uphold the institution of marriage.
ìWhoís kidding who?î said David Banting, chairman of the Conservative pressure group Reform, which claims to be the largest evangelical grouping in the Church of England.
ìWould liturgy for this sort of relationship have come forward for friendshipís sake were it not for the pressure from the gay lobby?î
A draft of the service has been completed and the committee responsible has suggested four books to help as a resource in planning services. Three of the four are “gay prayer books” reports the Sunday Times.
Two years ago Saxbee publicly backed a vicar in his diocese who was blessing same-sex unions. He said then: ìI have indicated I would not stand in the way so long as he abides by my condition that they must not be made to look like marriages.î
The draft service has been produced by the Lincoln liturgical committee, chaired by Tim Ellis, Archdeacon of Stow. It includes a welcome and an opening reading chosen from about a dozen passages in the Bible on the nature of friendship. At one point couples step forward towards the altar and with the priest give thanks to God for the relationship.
There is then an opportunity for the couple to declare a commitment, and an address and chance to exchange gifts. The service can be used by close friends, not necessarily couples with a sexual relationship.
Peter Godden, rector of Owmby in Lincolnshire and secretary of the liturgical committee, said: ìWe do recognise that the service will be used by same-sex couples, but we have not provided any specific references to any kind of relationship or friendship.î
Martin Reynolds, spokesman for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said: ìLincoln should be congratulated. There will undoubtedly be a number of gay couples who will use this service and it sets a good example for other Anglican dioceses to follow.î