News update from Diocesan Council: same-gender blessings resolution passes

RESTON, Va. -- The Council of the Diocese of Virginia passed a resolution this morning calling upon Bishop Shannon Johnston to move forward with issuing guidelines that authorize the blessing of same-gender unions.

Passage of the resolution was a major milestone on the issue. The Diocese of Virginia has been a battleground on sexuality issues for many years, but has engaged in a process of discernment through meetings throughout the diocese.

"This is a simple resolution," said John Schwartz, from St. Anne's, Reston, and the primary author. He noted that the "whole body hurts" because some people are excluded from the full life of the church because they are gay or lesbian.

The debate was impassioned at times, but delegates remained respectful of each other. The viewpoints expressed included that the traditional view of marriage is limited to unions of men and women.

"I don't believe God blesses same-sex marriages," said one delegate.

The Rev. John Sheehan, rector, The Church of Our Redeemer Aldie, also opposed the resolution on the grounds that it will further strain the Episcopal Church relationship with the Anglican Communion.

Others expressed opinions that the Bible is not as clear cut on this topic as some believe. One speaker noted that we do not justify the stoning of adulterers or condemn people for wearing mixed fabrics, which are also subject to biblical law.

And The Rev. Sue Eaves noted, "I am an ordained person that Scripture does not authorize."

The vote was taken by orders, with clergy and lay delegates voting separately by holding up green and red cards. The yes votes outnumbered the no votes in both orders, and so no count was taken.

Yesterday, Bishop Johnston said he is prepared to work with those parishes that are ready to have such blessings. He gave no specifics, but other bishops have issued guidelines for such blessings. A task force (upon which I served last year) has recommended to the bishop such guidelines which he may issue, amend or reject.

The resolution R2a approved by Council states:

R-2a: Blessings of Same-Gender Unions Resolved, that the 216th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia thanks Bishop Shannon Johnston and the diocesan team for the very fruitful "Listen ... And Be Heard" sessions in 2010, and urges our Bishop to “provide a generous pastoral response" by moving forward with guidelines with regard to public blessings of same gender unions.

Same-gender blessings on deck today at Diocese Council

RESTON, VA -- Here at the Council of the Diocese of Virginia, the topic of the day is likely to be same-gender blessings.

On the floor of Council this morning is a resolution (R2a) requesting that Bishop Shannon Johnston issue guidelines on same-gender blessings. We will also hear an oral report from Ed Jones, who chaired our task force on same-gender blessings (you can read the written report of the task force by clicking HERE).

In his pastoral address yesterday, Bishop Johnston said he is prepared to work with congregations that are ready to move forward with such blessings:

"I realize that there are presently clergy and congregations who have addressed these questions of blessing, community, society and Scripture in ways that could be deemed thorough and conclusive. Furthermore, you may remember that I have always affirmed that committed, monogamous same-gender relationships can indeed be faithful in the Christian life.

"Therefore, I plan also to begin working immediately with those congregations that want to establish the parameters for the “generous pastoral response” that the 2009 General Convention called for with respect to same-gender couples in Episcopal churches. Personally, it is my hope that the 2012 General Convention will authorize the formal blessing of same-gender unions for those clergy in places that want to celebrate them. Until then, we might not be able to do all that we would want to do but, in my judgment, it is right to do something and it is time to do what we can."

He left open the details on how he will work with such congregations, but his declaration yesterday was a major step along the way. Other bishops have issued guidelines in their dioceses for how to proceed with same-gender blessings, and we can expect that our bishop will follow a similar practice.

The same gender blessings task force, upon which I served, drafted proposed guidelines as recommendations to the bishop. Whether he issues them, or how, of course remains entirely up to him. We may learn more today.

To read the bishop's full address, click HERE.

Same-gender blessings report completed, made public

Some months ago, I was appointed by Bishop Shannon Johnson to an 11-member task force to examine the issues of authorizing same-gender blessings in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. The bishop appointed this task force in response to a resolution (R14s) approved by diocesan Council last January.

I am very pleased to report that our task is finished and our report is now public.

We began meeting in June, and we met seven times, each meeting lasting several hours. All of us respected the confidentiality that we needed to have for an honest exchange of views, and hence I have said very little about the task force on this blog.

We were asked to complete our report by All Saints Day, and we did so. The report was given to the Bishop and the Executive Council in late October. The bishop made the report public this week, posting it on the Diocesan Council website. You can click HERE to read the full report.

The basic question we were asked was whether any canons or other rules need to be changed for same-gender blessings to proceed in this diocese. Our conclusion is that is it completely within the authority of the bishop as to whether and how such blessings can and should take place. No canons need amending.

We did note that those dioceses that have proceeded with same-gender blessings have done so under guidelines issued by their respective bishops. We examined many sets of guidelines, and drafted proposed guidelines for our bishop, which we have given to him.

The task force report speaks for itself; the crux of our recommendations are in these paragraphs:

We recognize that Resolution 14s called on us to recommend possible “proposed canonical language” that would be required before same-gender blessings could proceed. However, after a careful review of national and diocesan canons, and in consultation with canonical lawyers, we concluded that no diocesan canon needs to be amended, and that no new diocesan canons are required for such blessings. It is our conclusion that same-gender blessings could proceed in this diocese solely through the pastoral authority of the bishop. Our conclusion is also consistent with the practice that we found in other dioceses that have proceeded with same-gender blessings.

Our review brought us to the determination that the best way to discharge our duties as a task group was to develop a set of proposed guidelines for the Diocese of Virginia should the bishop authorize same-gender blessings. We have therefore drafted proposed guidelines for the bishop’s adoption, modification or rejection. We believe that these proposed guidelines could provide an orderly and pastoral response to proceeding with same-gender unions while ensuring the right of clergy to refrain from participation without fear of discipline.

Our recommended guidelines, we believe, are consistent with all existing national and diocesan canons. We were careful to ensure that our proposed guidelines do not exceed the canonical authority of the bishop, or violate the canonical prerogatives and limits upon clergy and vestries. They fall within the scope of the bishop’s existing authority to provide pastoral direction to his clergy, and within the meaning of the General Convention Resolution C056 that “bishops…may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church…” [emphasis added].

Again, I am very pleased to have served on this task force, and I am pleased we are finished. I am happy to answer any questions as best I can, but it should be understood that the next steps are Bishop Johnston's and his alone. Please keep him and our beloved church in your prayers.

Letter from Bishop Shannon Johnston to the Diocese of Virginia

Bishop Shannon Johnston sent a letter this morning to our diocese about his upcoming "listening" meetings on the topic of same-gender blessings. The letter speaks for itself. He also mentions the R-14 Task Force that is shaping recommended guidelines for such blessings; I am serving on that task force, and I invite your participation in these meetings and your respectful dialogue in this space.

Here is Bishop Johnston's letter:

Tuesday, September 14, 2010


Dear Diocesan Family,

Five listening sessions will be held across the diocese over the next several weeks entitled "Listen and Be Heard: Faithful Sexuality and the Blessing of Same-Gender Unions." Ever since these forums were first announced, I have heard a variety of responses. I have heard from people who feel that this is all about liberalism and who simply cannot believe that we would even have such discussions in the first place. At the same time, I have heard from others who feel that this is all about stalling and who simply cannot believe that we are having yet more talk. Very many of you are uncomfortable with extreme positions and describe yourselves as being "in the middle" with understanding and sympathies for both sides. Many others are largely confused in profoundly mixed feelings. It is also my experience that a large number of you feel that you have not had the opportunity to be heard and to listen on these issues in a safe environment.

Such a range of positions and experience is itself the reason why we need to go about this conversation in a different way. As the Church, the Body of Christ, we certainly must be able to come together in good faith and good will in order to engage and understand one another, if only to agree to disagree.

So I want to clarify for you what these listening sessions are and what they are not. First, I know that from 2003 we have some very painful history of such sessions in our diocese. At that time, we experienced a substantial amount of inappropriate anger. That history began to heal with the successful and much appreciated Town Hall meetings last year. Allow me to ask each one of you personally to help us continue that good work for the good of all. I believe that the listening process we are going to undertake should prevent a repeat of that difficult chapter.

The bulk of the time will be in small groups in which each person present will have the opportunity to speak and be heard in answer to specific questions about faithful sexuality and the blessings of same gender unions. I have asked that the information be gathered in a way that I can use it as a reference in leadership as your bishop. The opinions expressed in all groups will be posted for all to see and consider by the evening's end. I will study your comments very carefully, as will the Standing Committee. I need to hear from you, and you should be assured to know that you are, by this process, reaching your diocesan leadership in a truly meaningful way.

The focus of these sessions is to listen and to be heard; it is not on convincing, cajoling, or changing one another's minds. These forums will not be open-microphone crossfire debates, nor will they be voting sessions. I will speak at the end of each session about what I heard during the session and share a small piece of my journey with these issues.

Why are these listening sessions necessary, and why should you attend? These sessions are truly intended to be what the title suggests - a time to listen to one another. The people of the Diocese of Virginia have been grappling with issues of human sexuality for over 30 years. During much of that time, however, diocesan conversations took place in task groups or dialogue groups that were appointed for that purpose. The conversations have not always taken place more widely and have not always included the people in the pews of our congregations. It is my desire to broaden the conversation and to give every person in our diocese an opportunity to speak and to be heard on the important matters of faithful sexuality.

I also want to make clear that these sessions are separate and distinct from the work the R-14s Task Group is doing. You may remember that Council passed a resolution that requested that I empanel a group of clergy and lay people, including lawyers and experts on canon law, to recommend consistent standards should services of blessing same-gender unions be authorized at some point. I appointed the requested group in the spring of this year and they have been working faithfully to prepare their report for the Executive Board. The timing of this work parallels the listening sessions, but the work is not tied together. Please be assured that the listening sessions are not simply for show. I am committed to ensuring this process is authentic. (You can find the full text of the resolution at:http://www.thediocese.net/Governance/Annual_Council/215th_Annual_Council/Resolutions/).

The schedule of these sessions is:

Wednesday, September 29, Calvary Church, Front Royal, 7-9 p.m.

Wednesday, October 13, St. Paul's, Ivy, 7-9 p.m.

Wednesday, October 27, St. Alban's, Annandale, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 3, St. John's, Tappahannock, 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 17, Christ Church, Glen Allen, 7-9 p.m.

In closing, I strongly believe these forums have the potential of forging a new way for the Diocese of Virginia to be together in contentious times. I look forward to undertaking this vitally important work with you, and I remain confident that God's grace will prevail upon us and upon our common life as a diocese.


Faithfully yours in Christ,

/s/

Shannon Sherwood Johnston
Bishop of Virginia

Diocese of Virginia open meetings on same-gender unions

I mentioned here a couple of days ago that Bishop Shannon Johnston will host a series of meetings to listen to people from the Diocese of Virginia about the topic of same-gender blessings. It is crucially important that you go to a meeting and speak up respectfully. And listen. Here is the schedule:

Sept. 29, Calvary, Front Royal, 7-9 p.m.

Oct. 13, St. Paul's, Ivy, 7-9 p.m.

Oct. 27, St. Alban's, Annandale, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Nov. 3, St. John's, Tappahannock, 4-6 p.m.

Nov. 17, Richmond (Location TBA), 7-9 p.m.

I hope to see you at one of these meetings.

Same-gender unions and where we are this morning

By now you have probably heard about the ruling by a federal judge striking down Proposition 8 in California, the voter-approved ban on same-gender marriage. Depending on who is talking, the ruling was hailed as a victory for equal rights or vilified as an attack on the institution of marriage.

The judge in the case, Vaughn R. Walker, immediately stayed his decision pending appeals so it will have no immediate effect. Doubtless this issue will end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

The decision is certain to add further fuel the culture wars over marriage and the already acidic debate within our church over the meaning of marriage. I have traveled my own theological and scriptural path on this topic over many years and my own view has changed to embrace a more inclusive view. I believe the Gospel brings us there. I did not get there easily or quickly.

I have been blessed by being in a traditional marriage, blessed by the Church, for more than 20 years. Yet I have come to the conclusion that there is a side to the "traditional" view of marriage that is based primarily on a cultural bias pandering to an age-old prejudice against homosexuals. That cultural bias is supported by superficial interpretations of the Bible that collapse under closer scrutiny. Culture comes from people, not God. We create culture and we can change culture.

I cannot imagine how a marriage between two people of the same gender could possibly threaten my marriage. In fact, they might even inspire me to strengthen and renew my own marriage. By honoring their marriage, I honor my own.

Our Book of Common Prayer says that the marriage between husband and wife is "intended by God for their mutual joy." Why would we think God would limit that union for mutual joy only to straight couples? Why wouldn't God intend to honor the loving commitment of two people of the same gender? And note: the purpose of marriage is not procreation. Were it so, then I suppose you would have to argue that couples who have no children, like Lori and myself, don't have a valid marriage or a valid reason to be married.

Not everyone will agree with my reasoning, and that is their right. But I ask that disagreement come respectfully.

As readers of this space know, I am serving on a task force in the Diocese of Virginia that is writing a proposed set of guidelines for same-gender unions. We have met three times, and will meet again next week. The work has been fascinating as we have gathered a great deal of information from around the country on the topic and a variety of guidelines that differ on a number of points.

We have done our work in an atmosphere of mutual trust and candor. I will not prematurely publish anything here -- we are still working through a number of issues, and our work is only a recommendation. Meanwhile, Bishop Shannon Johnston will commence a series of open meetings around the diocese this fall, and we want to be able to hear the fruit of that discussion. We expect our recommended guidelines to be complete by November.

We have examined a great deal of theological and liturgical resources from many places. I would especially recommend for your reading a report from the Diocese of San Diego that covers the theological and scriptural issues. You can download the Report of the San Diego Task Force on Holiness in Relationships and the Blessing of Same-Sex Relationships by clicking HERE.

The story of salvation, as told by the Bible, is the long march of God's people moving beyond human-created oppression by recognizing heaven right here on earth. When we stand for the equality of people, we join that march. The story of Jesus Christ is of the divine come to earth as human to show us the way out of oppression; Jesus goes into the very depths of Hell to bring us out, and Jesus includes all people in his saving grace. Jesus invites all into his loving embrace and with no limits to salvation. Neither should we.

Same-gender blessings task force meeting this morning; my summary

The Diocese of Virginia task force on same-gender blessings met this morning for two-and-a-half hours. This was our first meeting, and so the discussion was wide-ranging about how to approach our task. Please read in an earlier post from yesterday the resolution (R-14) that set up our task force.

This being the first meeting, no decisions were made, no recommendations arrived upon, no conclusions reached. But I was impressed with the respect everyone showed for each other, and the dedication shown to listening to each point of view. The task force includes both clergy and laity, and straight and gay people. There is an abundance of lawyers on the panel, which is probably a good thing because R-14 asks a series of legal and canonical questions. We also talked about how our work could dovetail with Bishop Shannon Johnston's proposed "townhall meetings" around the diocese later this year.

Mostly we talked about how to approach our work; we looked in detail at each of the points raised by R-14; we also examined national canons on marriage and looked at guidelines from the Diocese of Southern Ohio for same-gender blessings. There are several other diocesan guidelines available from around the country, but we started with this one from Ohio; we will look at others as our work progresses.

I think I can also safely say that it is the intention of everyone on the task force to conclude our work and make our recommendations by the November 1 deadline set forth by the diocesan resolution. It is also the intention of everyone to write our recommendations as clearly and forthrightly as possible.

I am reprinting below the guidelines from Southern Ohio for your study and comment. Again, this is a starting point; if you want to comment, please have the courage of your convictions by giving your name and church affiliation. I will not respond to anonymous comments -- and nasty, bigoted and hateful comments will be deleted. Be kind; this topic is not just abstract, but is crucial in the life of our church at this time, and it impacts real people in real relationships.

Here are the guidelines from Southern Ohio:

Policies and Procedures
for the Blessing of Same-Gender Unions in the
Diocese of Southern Ohio


1. The blessing of a Same-Gender Union (hereafter referred to as a “union”) requires written permission of the Bishop (or Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese in the absence of the Ordinary), hereafter together referred to as the “Bishop”).

(a) Permission must be sought in writing by a priest canonically resident in the
Diocese of Southern Ohio, or licensed to officiate in the Diocese of Southern
Ohio.

(b) Request for permission must be delivered to the Diocesan office for the Bishop’s
attention no later than sixty (60) days prior to the proposed date for a blessing.

2. For every proposed blessing, at least one of the two persons requesting the blessing must be a member in good standing of The Episcopal Church resident within the Diocese.

3. Prior to a priest’s officiating at the blessing, the couple must receive adequate counseling as determined by the priest. (Priests are encouraged to take advantage of the educational resources available on the Diocesan Website.)

4. Any priest intending to bless a union should inform the congregation in which the blessing will be recorded.

5. The priest-in-charge retains the right and responsibility to determine whether any union shall be blessed on church property or under the auspices of the congregation.

6. Blessings of unions shall be recorded in the congregation in which, or under whose auspices, the blessing takes place, and no blessing shall be performed without such record.

7. When presented with a union that is imperiled, a priest must act first to protect and promote the physical and emotional safety of the couple, and then to promote reconciliation.

8. Any member of this Church who seeks the dissolution of a union, or who seeks permission to enter into a subsequent union, may apply to the Bishop for a judgment. Such judgment may be a recognition of the nullity, or of the termination of the union; Provided, that no such judgment shall be construed as affecting in any way the legitimacy of children or the civil validity of the former relationship. Every judgment made under this provision shall be in writing and made a matter of permanent record in the archives of the diocese.

9. No priest of this Diocese shall bless the union of any person, except as hereinafter provided:

(a) The priest shall be satisfied by appropriate evidence that any prior marriage has been annulled or dissolved by a final judgment or decree of a civil court of competent jurisdiction, and that the same is true for any union that was evidenced by a formal civil proceeding.

(b) The priest shall have instructed the parties that continuing concern must be shown for the well-being of the former spouse or partner, and of any children of the prior marriage or union;

(c) The priest shall consult with and obtain the consent of the Bishop to officiate prior to, and shall report to the Bishop, the blessing; and

(d) If the proposed blessing is to be given in a jurisdiction other than the one in which the consent has been given, the consent shall be affirmed by the Bishop of that
jurisdiction.

10. It shall be within the discretion of any priest to decline to bless any union.

Same-gender blessings task force meets today in the Diocese of Virginia

Today I am participating in the "R-14 Task Force," the 11-member panel appointed by Bishop Shannon Johnston of the Diocese of Virginia to determine how/when/whether we can proceed with same-gender blessings. This will be the first meeting, and I will give a report in this space as best as I am able when we are done.

So that you are on the same page with me, I am reprinting below the "R-14" resolution approved by the Diocesan Council of Virginia that set up this task force, followed by "C056" approved by General Convention last summer that called for a "generous pastoral response" on same gender blessings. Please read these carefully.

I am mindful that the stakes are large for many people, and there are only 11 of us on this task force. So I invite your advice, your wisdom, your opinions and especially your prayers. Please feel free to post here on this blog under "comments." And please have the courage of your convictions by giving your name and church affiliation. I will not respond to anonymous comments -- they interest me not -- but I will consider all comments with all due respect. Hateful or bigoted comments will be deleted with no apologies.

Here are the resolutions, beginning with C056, the General Convention resolution, followed by R-14, the diocesan resolution:

C056 - approved by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge the changing circumstances in the United States and in other nations, as legislation authorizing or forbidding marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships for gay and lesbian persons is passed in various civil jurisdictions that call forth a renewed pastoral response from this Church, and for an open process for the consideration of theological and liturgical resources for the blessing of same gender relationships; and be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops, collect and develop theological and liturgical resources, and report to the 77th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops, devise an open process for the conduct of its work inviting participation from provinces, dioceses, congregations, and individuals who are engaged in such theological work, and inviting theological reflection from throughout the Anglican Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That bishops, particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention honor the theological diversity of this Church in regard to matters of human sexuality; and be it further

Resolved, That the members of this Church be encouraged to engage in this effort.

R-14 - approved by the Council (convention) of the Diocese of Virginia

Substitute for R-3 (Inclusiveness in Ordained Ministry), R-4 (Authorizing Rites of Blessing) and R-11 (Defining Sacramental and Civil Definitions of Marriage)
Adopted as substituted.

Whereas, the Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston stated in his pastoral address to the 215th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia:

“I do regret that, in this address, some important matters in our common life will seem to be slighted while others are omitted, such as the several topics arising from the debate on sexuality. But I look for us to address these issues thoroughly in regional forums in 2010. It is unfortunate that some of the weightiest deliberations that come before us cannot be adequately and justly dealt with in the very short time allowed by Annual Council,” [verbatim transcript of the bishop’s pastoral address], and

Whereas, the necessary process will involve both the bishop’s regional forums, which will allow for broad individual contributions on these issues, and the drafting of proposed canons for the effective and consistent exercise of pastoral ministry should same-gender blessings be authorized; be it therefore

Resolved, the 215th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia recognizes that:

1. Our clergy and people remain divided over the wisdom and theology of blessing same gender relationships, as well as how much weight to give to the views of others in the Anglican Communion about these issues, particularly to views from those with whom we are in mission partnership;

2. The growing differences between Christian and Civil understanding of marriage and relationships create immediate pastoral issues for our clergy and congregations;

3. There are numerous same-gender couples in our diocese engaged in long-term monogamous relationships who have engaged in productive and vital ministries for the proclamation of the Gospel. Many of these couples strongly desire the church’s blessing of their relationships;

4. These issues deserve to be collectively addressed in an orderly, careful, and deliberate way assisted by appropriate legal and canonical experts; and
Recommends that:

1. Our Bishop is asked to empanel a group of clergy and lay people, including attorneys admitted to practice in Virginia and recognized experts on canon law, as well as knowledgeable clergy and lay representatives of a variety of theological perspectives on the issue of blessing same-gender relationships.

2. Such panel shall recommend consistent standards to be written into diocesan canons so that, if services of blessing same-gender unions are authorized, our clergy and people have a clearly understood and enforceable set of rules to guide the application of clergy discretion in providing pastoral care to same-gender couples seeking such blessings.

3. In formulating these recommendations, the following issues may be addressed (based in part on General Convention Canon I.1.18 and I.1.19):

(a) Whether individual members of the clergy have the right, as a matter of theological principle, to decline to conduct any such service, without adverse disciplinary consequences or personnel action;

(b) Whether individual members of the clergy have the right to decline to conduct such a service for a particular same gender couple, without adverse disciplinary consequences or personnel action, similar to the current rule for clergy asked to conduct weddings;

(c) The age, capacity and degree of kinship, if any, of the parties;

(d) The effect of prior marriages or unions blessed by a licensed clergy person or registered with civil authorities, the responsibility to any former spouse or partner in such union, and responsibility to minor children of any prior marriage or union;

(e) The appropriateness of advance medical screening, if any;

(f) The effect of any legal union or marriage entered into between the parties in another jurisdiction;

(g) The appropriate role of the Bishop for advanced review of any proposed blessing of a specific same-gender couple;

(h) Review of financial arrangements to protect the parties in the absence of state law presumptions governing married couples, presumptions intended to protect the weaker party from potential exploitation, oppression, or improvident action by the other party in the relationship;

(i) Other factors listed in the General Convention canons for marriage, Canons I.1.18 and I.1.19, including the baptismal status of the parties, the commitment to life-long union, the voluntariness of consent, the absence of coercion, fraud, mistake of identity of the other party;

(j) The minimum time line between notification of the clergy of a desire to obtain such a blessing and the performance of the ceremony;

(k) The number of witnesses and the record-keeping requirements for the clergy and any congregation involved;

(l) Any requirement for written affirmation by the couple that the commitment is to a life-long union;

(m) Any statement of the theological basis for the union to which the partners are to subscribe;

(n) Provision to address possible dissolution of a blessed same-gender relationship, including the considerations of factors enumerated in Canon I.1.19 to address marriages which are in distress or which have been terminated by a civil court, as well as the circumstances, if any, under which another same-gender relationship may be blessed where both partners to an earlier such relationship remain living;

(o) The restriction in the General Convention canon on marriage in the church to heterosexual couples;

(p) Whether any blessing service for same-gender union may be used in lieu of marriage for heterosexual couples under any circumstances, and if so, what those circumstances are;

(q) How these might apply to all members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans-gendered community;

(r) Any other factor deemed important by the panel.

3. If the Bishop appoints such a panel, the panel shall strive to deliver its report (including proposed canonical language) to the Executive Board by All Saints Day, 2010, in time for careful and orderly consideration of its recommendations by the 216th Annual Council of the Diocese. The panel is not to opine on whether the blessings of same-gender unions should be authorized, but it is to set forth its canonical recommendations to govern blessing such relationships if such services of blessing are authorized.

4. The consideration of any authorization for Virginia clergy to enter same gender unions should be deferred until after consideration of the preceding process.

Diocesan Task Force on same-sex blessings; and how a British bishop changed his mind

The contentious issue of the inclusion of gay/lesbian people into the full life of the Church is never far below the surface, and I am about to wade into the waters here in Virginia. Bishop Shannon Johnston, of the Diocese of Virginia, has appointed me to a task force of 11 people -- six lay and five ordained -- who will soon examine the issues surrounding same-sex blessings and, hopefully, chart the way forward for this diocese in the next year. That is my hope.

The panel was commissioned at the Diocesan Council (convention) in January, and has adopted for its name the neutral-sounding title of the resolution that set it up -- "The R-14 Task Force." The bishop finished appointing the members in May. The first meeting is set for June 19, followed by another meeting July 17.

I will not be present at the first meeting, but I plan to attend via Skype or telephone connection. I will keep you posted in this space as fully as I can on how this develops. The deadline for the completion of our work is November 1, and I see no reason why we cannot meet the deadline. Other dioceses have impaneled similar task forces and are already finished; much of the research we've been asked to do has been done elsewhere; the Diocese of Virginia has a considerable volume of work of its own to draw upon, having had several committees and task forces looking at various sides of the topic for years.

Bill Bergen sent this item the other day: The Rt. Rev. Tom Butler (just retired Bishop of Southwark, U.K.) had three minutes, on BBC's Thought of the Day for May 25, to say a word about Theresa May, the British Home Secretary who recently said about homosexuality, "I've changed my mind." Maybe others might change their minds, too. The Holy Spirit works like that.

Here is Bishop Butler's brief statement in full:

The press has been remarking on Theresa May's response to a question from a member of the Question Time audience, about the new home secretary's apparently less than gay-friendly voting record . Her reply: "I've changed my mind".

I don't think that she's alone in that. It's remarkable to observe how, in spite of traditional religious teaching, public opinion in Britain over a period of a decade or so, in a remarkable shift of thinking has mostly changed its mind on the worth and place of gay people in society. The reason is simple: it's difficult to hold dogmatic views about what is good and desirable behaviour, when some of the often obviously good, loving and responsible people you actually encounter are behaving in an alternative way.

The same thing happened in the Church over questions concerning divorce and remarriage. Thirty years ago it was almost unknown for divorced people to be remarried in church, but many changed their minds when it was their own children or grandchildren who were caught up in divorce proceedings. The messy ambiguities of choosing divorce over remaining in a loveless marriage, with often painful consequences for children whatever the choice became more apparent. Society had changed its mind and the Church if it were to continue to have any pastoral influence on those struggling to live decent lives had to take account of the change.

Now, as a reminder on how profound the shift has been in our attitude to homosexuality, the weekend papers also carried the story of the conviction of two young men in Malawi now serving hefty prison sentences for the crime of loving one another. Fourteen years hard labour is a cruel and degrading punishment, totally unacceptable in any country, and Christian leaders should not be afraid of saying so.

Of course this brings problems to a church like my own which is part of a global communion of very different cultures and traditions. I was in the Diocese of Maryland a couple of weeks ago shortly before one of their very able priests Mary Glasspool was ordained a bishop in Los Angeles. The fact that Mary has been in a twenty-year lesbian partnership was simply a non-issue for the many church people there who knew and admired her, and they found it very difficult when I tried to explain that liberal actions in America or indeed Britain can have dangerous consequences for fellow Christians living in minority situations in Africa or Egypt. But a responsible global church must take this into account and try to build bridges of cultural understanding.

But be that as it may, the price of holding the communion together can't all be paid by stifling the lives of gay people in the West and cruelly punishing them in Africa. The Home secretary has changed her mind, and so have I.

Watercolor by Laramie Sasseville, 1995.