[Magdalen] Conscience's clause

[Charles Wohlers]

As noted by others, Canon law in the US forbids a bishop from requiring a 
clergyperson from performing any wedding, gay or otherwise. The bishop 
cannot dismiss a rector for saying no. And the rector can say no for any 
reason whatsoever. Also as noted by others, England is unique in requiring 
clergy to perform weddings for qualified couples. This does not occur 
elsewhere in the Anglican Communion, AFAIK.

Chad Wohlers
Woodbury, VT USA
chadwohl at satucket.com



-----Original Message----- 
From: Zephonites--- via Magdalen
Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2015 2:37 AM
To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
Cc: Zephonites at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Conscience's clause

Chad

Sorry, what I meant by "requires" is that he wants his clergy to marry gay
couples. I didn't find out if he can enforce it in the Ecclesiastical
Courts (or  TEC's equivalents) or if he can dismiss a vicar for saying no.

It is a different position to the UK where GS and our Bishops when the gay
marriage bill was passed had been granted an opt out clause for the church

Blessings
Martin


In a message dated 29/06/2015 19:04:53 GMT Daylight Time,
charles.wohlers at verizon.net writes:

I don't  know for a fact, but I would very much doubt if that's true. I do
know  it's not true in the Dioceses of Massachusetts and Vermont - both of
which  are quite liberal and both of which states have had gay marriage for
a
while now. Clergy in the Episcopal church are free to refuse marriage to
anyone for any reason. I believe such is not the case in the C of  E.

Chad Wohlers
Woodbury, VT  USA
chadwohl at satucket.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Zephonites--- via Magdalen
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2015 1:51  PM
To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
Cc: Zephonites at aol.com
Subject: Re:  [Magdalen] Conscience's clause

Michael

I heard when I was in  Long Island that the Bishop there now requires his
clergy to perform gay  marriages

Does that mean you don't have a conscience clause then in the  USA

Blessings
Martin


In a message dated 29/06/2015  15:32:27 GMT Summer Time,
jguthrie at pipeline.com writes:

From:  ME  Michaud

>My understanding is that when clergy marry a  couple they  are
>doing so with a license from the State. That is,  all marriages  are
>civil marriages (though some are blessed by the  clergy).

And  as long as that is the case, no one can serious make  the case that
there's
real separation of church and state in the U.S.  (especially true of right
wingers who claim that government is hostile to  religion --put them in the
nincompoop  department).

Cheers,
Jim   Guthrie