VA: Episcopal Diocese Delays on Recognition of Gay Marriages

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia hedged on recognizing same-sex unions Saturday, instead voting to form a committee to set standards for church-sanctioned blessings of such unions once they are approved by the entire 2-million-member Episcopal Church. About 346 delegates to the dioceses annual council meeting at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria narrowly voted -- by a show of hands - to form the committee.

It was a less radical choice for the 80,000-member Virginia diocese, the largest in the Episcopal Church. A substitute amendment suggesting the diocese allow openly gay clergy and same-sex blessings failed after a lengthy debate.

The vote was in response to last summer's decision by the Episcopal General Convention, which met in Anaheim, Calif., to pass resolution C056, which empowered the denomination to begin "collecting and developing theological resources and liturgies" for same-sex blessings. The denomination is expected to endorse some kind of rite at its 2012 meeting in Indianapolis.

Full Story from the Washington Times
Click here for gay marriage resources in Virginia.
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Group Calls for Investigation of Catholic Brooklyn Diocese for Campaign Violations

An Atheist state-church separation group today called for an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service into the activities of a Roman Catholic Bishop in Brooklyn, NY for possible violation of campaign and IRS regulations. On Monday, The New York Times revealed that Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio praised Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito J. Lopez in a barrage of "robocalls" to voters. Lopez was key in defeating a bill that would have permitted victims of childhood sex abuse to file suit years after alleged molestation. The Roman Catholic Church has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to settle or avoid lawsuits and protect clerical molesters. Mr. Lopez was supporting Working Families Party candidate Maritza Davila who came in second in a three way race. In The New York Times piece, a prominent legal scholar warned that Bishop DiMarzio could have violated laws pertaining to electioneering by nonprofit religious groups. Dr. Ed Buckner, President of American Atheists, said that the bishop's robocalls "are another example of where Roman Catholic leaders are engaging in partisan campaigning in order to further their own social agenda and insulate themselves from the legal system. Full Story from Opposing Views: http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-did-brooklyn-bishop-violate-campaign-irs-regulations-r-1257451320

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

South African Diocese to Debate Gay Marriage

A second South African diocese will take up the question of pastoral care for gays and lesbians when the False Bay synod meets from Sept 23-26. Carved out of the eastern half of the Diocese of Cape Town in 2005, the Diocese of False Bay will debate a resolution akin to last month’s Cape Town request for an official church policy on gay marriage in light of the country’s gender-neutral marriage laws. The South African general synod in 2002 endorsed a resolution that “acknowledges and gives thanks to God for the role played by lesbian and gay members of the CPSA and encourages the welcoming and affirmation of all members regardless of their sexual orientation, in all the Churches of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.” However, the church forbids its clergy from performing gay marriages or blessing same-sex unions in churches. The False Bay resolution states that it affirms a “pastoral response to same-sex partnerships of faithful commitment in our parish families; notes the positive statements of previous Provincial Synods that Gay and Lesbian members of our Church share in full membership as baptised members of the Body of Christ, and are affirmed and welcomed as such;” and affirms the call to “prayerful and respectful dialogue” on this issue. Full Story from Religious Intelligence: http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/news/?NewsID=5068

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com with "subscribe blog" as the subject. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.