NEW YORK — The Episcopal Church has passed a measure allowing same-sex marriages.
Episcopalians overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to allow religious weddings for same-sex couples, solidifying the church’s embrace of gay rights that began more than a decade ago with the pioneering election of the first openly gay bishop.
STATEMENT/REVISIONS: Rapid changes in civil law concerning marriage in the United States, along with the responses received as part of the SCLM church-wide consultation process, indicate a need for equivalent proper liturgies in jurisdictions where same-sex marriage is legal. Further, the SCLM consultation process indicated a pastoral need for equivalent marriage rites that could be used by any couple.
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 78th General Convention commend “Liturgical Resources I: I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing, Revised and Expanded 2015,” as found in the Blue Book, Liturgy Supplemental Materials: Appendices of the Report of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (BBLSM), pp. 2-151 with the following revisions:
BBLSM p. 84: In The Commitment, change the rubric to read “Each member of the couple, in turn, takes the right hand of the other and says”
BBLSM p.84: After “I N., give myself to you, N.” add “, and take you to myself.”
BBLSM p. 85: At the Pronouncement, change the rubric to read “The Presider joins the right hands and says”
BBLSM p. 87: In Concerning the Service, change the second paragraph to read “At least one of the couple must be a baptized Christian, and the marriage shall conform to the laws of the state and canons of this church.”
BBLSM p. 88: Under Gathering, change the rubric to read “The couple joins the assembly.”
BBLSM p. 89: Change “In marriage according to the laws of the state [or civil jurisdiction] of X” to “In marriage [according to the laws of the state or civil jurisdiction of X]”
BBLSM p. 89: Change “Solemnize their marriage according to the laws of the state [or civil jurisdiction] of X” to “are married [according to the laws of the state or civil jurisdiction of X]”
BBLSM p.94: After “I N., give myself to you, N.” add “, and take you to myself.”
BBLSM p. 95: At the Pronouncement, change the rubric to read “The Presider joins the right hands of the couple and says”
BBLSM p. 95: Replace “I pronounce that they are married according to the laws of the state [or civil jurisdiction] of X” to “I pronounce that they are married [according to the laws of the state or civil jurisdiction of X]”
BBLSM p. 100: At The Marriage, change the rubric to read “Each member of the couple, in turn, takes the right hand of the other and says”
