[Magdalen] Bp. Wright OKs same sex weddings

[Gail Edwards]

And emerging, briefly.

Some of us have lived through this discussion for more than a decade - in my diocese, which was the first in Canada to allow the blessing of committed relationships between two people of the same gender, and in Canada, which legalized marriage between two people of the same gender 10 years ago. 

My parish is a place of inclusion, love, acceptance, reconciliation where all are welcome and where God's love for us and our love of God shapes our prayers, our worship, our life together.

Phrases like "self-confessed" are offensive when speaking about people. None of us have lifestyles, we have lives. Being attentive to the language we use, and to the power of naming is important.

We reflect God's unconditional love for us by living authentically, joyfully and honestly. We all struggle with issues in our lives. Some of us struggle mightily. We are all called to respect the dignity of every living being through our baptismal covenant. 

Sneering references to Moloch worship do not further God's kingdom right here, right now, in this place and in our lives.

Martin, I wish you knowledge of God's unconditional, powerful, radically inclusive, joyful and liberating love at work in the lives and witness of all of God's people. 

Gail in Vancouver



> On Jun 27, 2015, at 10:40 AM, sally.davies at gmail.com wrote:
> 
> Hi Martin
> 
> I understand that there are strong feelings on this subject. It's one that
> I have struggled with; not for a moment with the question of what it means
> to be gay or whether gay people should have the same rights as others to
> love, comfort and security, but with what the Scripture says.
> 
> There are some very helpful articles around that one can read, from both
> perspectives, and I think it's good that we all read them, perhaps with a
> special focus on those whose views differ from our own, in order to
> encourage respect for that difference.
> 
> President Obama mentioned that and I feel he was right to do so.
> 
> As to Moloch, those with a firmer grasp of Biblical history can correct me,
> but I had the understanding that worshippers of Moloch would sacrifice
> their children to placate this demon God. So I don't find that an accurate
> or fair analogy, even if Moses lived at the time when Moloch worship was
> extant in the region (not sure that he did).
> 
> As it has often been said, if you are against gay marriage, then don't
> marry a gay person. Etc. The Bible is not strong on human rights either,
> but that does not mean that laws governing human rights are not pleasing to
> God in many ways.
> 
> I feel for gay people who - in an effort to be obedient to their
> understanding of God's will - have struggled for years with the pain of
> loneliness and celibacy that they would not have chosen, had a different
> interpretation of Scripture been hegemonic as it were. Or those who have
> conducted their romantic and sexual lives in the shadows and become used to
> thinking of their sexuality as disordered and sinful. Such people naturally
> have an investment in resisting this change, which does not mean their
> arguments are invalid per se, but does muddy the waters, considerably.
> 
> YM clearly does V, and that's OK, but I would personally prefer it if we
> don't try to offend each other here. We all respect the Scripture but we
> don't all read it in the same way. And as far as I'm aware, it's still OK
> to be an Anglican (Episcopalian) without affirming the "inerrancy" of
> Scripture or denying that context can be critical as we wrestle with the
> Scriptures, Old and New. We do not (yet) have a Covenant nor do we bow to a
> Magisterium. Rather, we share common prayer and worship, within the
> embracing shelter of Tradition, Scripture and Reason.
> 
> Sally D
> 
> On Sat, 27 Jun 2015 at 11:46 AM Zephonites--- via Magdalen <
> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> David
>> 
>> Interesting this article by Matthew Parris - a self confessed gay man
>> 
>> 
>> http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/05/as-a-gay-atheist-i-want-to-
>> see-the-church-oppose-same-sex-marriage/
>> <http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/05/as-a-gay-atheist-i-want-to-see-the-church-oppose-same-sex-marriage/>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I liked this comment:
>> 
>> Would  it have occurred for a moment to Moses (let alone God) that he’d
>> better defer to  Moloch-worship because that’s what most of the Israelites
>> wanted to  do?
>> 
>> Blessings
>> Martin
>> 
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ----------------------------
>> In  a message dated 26/06/2015 21:24:36 GMT Daylight Time,
>> fleenerj at gmail.com  writes:
>> 
>> http://www.edwm.org/news_and_events.html
>> 
>> Read what my bishop  has to say.  He is a relatively new bishop, and
>> unabashedly  progressive.
>> Judy
>> 
>> On Fri, Jun 26, 2015 at 3:02 PM, Cantor03--- via  Magdalen <
>> magdalen at herberthouse.org>  wrote:
>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> In a message dated 6/26/2015 2:08:39 P.M.  Eastern Daylight Time,
>>> jhandsfield at att.net writes:
>>> 
>>> I  love  my bishop.>>>>
>>> 
>>> I don't think he was the  only one in the upper levels of church
>> authority
>>> approving the  SCOTUS decision today.
>>> 
>>> I am convinced that She approved this,  as well.
>>> 
>>> In another of a series of mystical experiences I've  had involving
>>> the BVM, I happened to watch an in depth travelogue  about Lourdes
>>> last night.
>>> 
>>> I've always tended to  dismiss Lourdes as a sort of honky-tonk
>>> locale in the Pyrenees with a  lot of crutches and wheelchairs.
>>> But I was quite amazed with this  travelogue.  Lourdes positively
>>> exudes spirituality.  I'm  sorry I didn't go there when I lived  in
>>> Europe to experience the  ambience first hand.
>>> 
>>> Anyway, there were a number of scenes at  the shrine and in the
>>> nearby villages featuring rainbow bunting.   I got shivers up my  spine,
>>> and couldn't escape the feeling that  She was telling me something.
>>> 
>>> She was.  The SCOTUS was  Her mouthpiece today.
>>> 
>>> YMMV, of course, but I know what I  know.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> David  Strang.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Judy Fleener,  ObJN
>> Western Michigan
>> 
>>