Bishop John Chane will allow priests in the Diocese of Washington (DC) to preside at marriages of same-sex couples following the passage of The District of Columbia’s Marriage Equality Act.
BISHOP’S PASTORAL DIRECTION REGARDING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S MARRIAGE EQUALITY ACT
As the Bishop of the Diocese of Washington it is important that I put forward guidelines for clergy of the diocese to follow now that the District’s Marriage Equality Act is law. I do so based on my interpretation of General Convention Resolution CO56, which states that “bishops, particularly in those 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.” I hope that these pastoral guidelines will be helpful to the clergy that I serve as bishop. In the matter of how to engage or not engage in performing, witnessing and blessing same-sex marriages within the District, I respect the pastoral judgment and decisions of the clergy under my pastoral oversight.
1) No priest of this diocese, canonically resident or licensed in accordance with the canons of The Episcopal Church shall be required to act as a licensed agent of the District of Columbia in marrying persons of the same gender; neither shall they be required to bless such civil marriages.
2) Any priest from the diocese, canonically resident or licensed, who has been asked to marry same gender couples according to the Marriage Equality Act must: a) have a valid license from the District government; b) have the support of the vestry if the marriage is to occur in the congregation they serve as rector, assistant, supply priest, priest-in- charge or interim or if in another Episcopal congregation in the District of Columbia, the permission of that rector and vestry; c) notify the bishop at least 30 days prior to the marriage when and where it will take place; d) comply with all the requirements that pertain to heterosexual marriage including those relevant to previous marriages that have ended in divorce. All guidelines for Holy Matrimony currently in effect in the diocese shall be applicable to those persons contemplating civil same-gender marriage within the District. (Marriage guidelines are available at www.edow.org/marriage.)
3) Priests who serve congregations in the four counties of Maryland may marry persons in the District who are residents in the State of Maryland and who are active members of their congregations. They may marry within the District, provided that the couple has a valid DC marriage license and the priest is licensed in the District. All such marriages involving clergy who serve congregations in Maryland and who are entering the District must have the permission of the Bishop of Washington. If the marriage is to occur in an Episcopal congregation within the District, the rector and vestry of that church must give their permission for the use of the church.
4) Episcopal priests from outside the Diocese of Washington are not permitted to enter the diocese to perform, witness and bless same-gender marriages unless they are from a State and diocese that permits same gender marriage.
5) No priest from the Diocese of Washington will be permitted to travel outside of the diocese to perform witness and bless a same-gender marriage in another diocese where such marriage is legal without the written permission of the bishop of that diocese. Priests from the Diocese of Washington who have received permission must also notify the Bishop of Washington of their intent.
6) Persons who reside in other dioceses may not enter the Diocese of Washington to have a same-gender marriage performed, witnessed and blessed by a priest of this diocese or a priest from the diocese in which they reside unless that state legally permits same-gender marriage, and the diocese within that state also permits its clergy to perform, witness and bless same-gender marriages.
7) In the Diocese of Washington, deacons are not permitted to witness and bless marriages and are also prohibited from performing, witnessing and blessing same-gender marriages under the Marriage equality Act of the District of Columbia.
Bravo, Bishop Chane! The pastoral directions seem right and reasonable to me.
H/T to Ann Fontaine at The Lead.
It's a good first step.
ReplyDeleteI am ever hopeful that the prohibitions which exist for clergy outside the Diocese to witness and bless same-gender marriages will eventually be the same as all other marriages....
But I understand why he had to do this.... sigh... what with living so close and all (smile)....
Margaret, a step forward. Better than Virginia's standing in place (and for how long?) with respect to same-sex blessings, right?
ReplyDeleteAs bishop of this sacred back yard, I will happily preside at all the gay weddings you want. Just come by my dog house for some pre-marriage counseling and belly rubs.
ReplyDelete+Rowan. I am in serious want of a good belly rub... can we skip the counseling?
ReplyDeleteLindy, you are right. I could not agree with you more. The policy is still separate, but "equal", and separate is never equal. However, Bishop Chane's response is a step forward. Why does Susan Russell call her blog "An Inch At a Time"? In irony, surely, but, as I see it, that's the way justice and equality will progress, whether we like it or not. I will continue to be happy about the inches forward, even as I advocate for justice to move at a swifter pace. Justice delayed is still justice denied.
ReplyDelete+Rowan definitely has the right idea. If only all bishops would model their pastoral responses on +Rowan's.
lindy, I'm not sure that these rules are much different than the diocese sets forward for heterosexual marriages. As a rule, TEC parish churches in this part of the world don't set themselves up as "marriage destinations," period.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it would have been much simpler to say "you are permitted to perform marriages for all members of your parish who 1) hold a valid marriage license, 2) meet all your usual requirements for active membership and premarital counseling, and approval for remarriage after divorce."
The Diocese of Washington includes both the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland, and the laws regulating marriage are quite different in the two jurisdictions.
Bishop Chane is not known for making many batches of Anglican fudge - he's a bit of a rebel. Please be more specific.