Blessings: the evolution of a resolution

Mountain Echo, September 2003

by Anne Clarke Brown
All resolutions considered by the General Convention are subject to a careful, public process of deliberation before being sent to the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies for further debate and, ultimately, votes. The evolution of the resolution addressing the question of blessings for same-gender relationships (C051) offers an excellent glimpse into the legislative process of General Convention.

When bishops and deputies began their work on July 29, four such resolutions were in the hopper: two forwarded by diocesan conventions (California and Michigan); one submitted by a deputy; and one submitted by the Rt. Rev. Stacy Sauls of Lexington. The first three called for the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music to develop a rite for blessing same-gender unions that would be considered by the next General Convention for inclusion in “The Book of Occasional Services.” The fourth said no consensus exists on the question, acknowledged a “diversity of pastoral support for homosexual persons,” and stated a commitment to avoid a legislative solution.

All resolutions are initially assigned to one of 25 legislative committees, which must hold public hearings. Speakers usually have two minutes to make their case. The Committee on Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music set aside a two-hour period on the evening of August 1, to hear testimony. Witnesses signed up in advance to speak either pro or con, and the committee heard alternately from the two groups.

Vermonters testify
Four members of the Vermont Deputation spoke in favor of a liturgical rite for blessing same-gender unions. Lay Deputy Tom Little told of his involvement in the creation of Vermont’s civil union law and said, “The civil union law is mostly about families, the gay and lesbian families in Vermont who are faithful and committed enough to shoulder the legal burdens of the law, in order to gain the legal rights and responsibilities that give them a legal, state-recognized foundation to their families.” He concluded that, “these couples ought to have access to an appropriate liturgical response to the reality of their committed relationships.”

Bishop Thomas Ely told the committee, “The need for a liturgical rite is both a matter of pastoral urgency and part of a 20/20 mission opportunity for the Diocese of Vermont. We don’t all have to be in the same place at the same time around this issue in order to provide the tools that some of us need to move forward in mission. I long for this General Convention to make some provision for moving us forward on this matter, so that I and others in Vermont can minister faithfully, pastorally, justly and with open honesty.”

Clergy Deputy Diane Root told about a couple whose civil union she had blessed. After one of them died in an accident, “We were able to minister to her partner in grief,” she said, “because we had already shared their joy and honored their love.” She concluded, “If we are going to minister to one another, we need to be able to share respect as well as repentance, celebration as well as sorrow, love as well as forgiveness, blessing as well as burial.”

Clergy Deputy Thomas Brown, speaking of his recent civil union ceremony, said, “The blessing of our relationship was necessary because our faith communities had already discerned in Tom and me the gifts of commitment and fidelity. The church and all of us need this occasional rite.”

Substitute resolution emerges
On Monday, the committee sent a “substitute” for resolution C051 to the House of Bishops, which is the “house of initial action” on matters pertaining to liturgy. The compromise included language from Bishop Sauls’ resolution, and it requested rites for inclusion in Enriching Our Worship. Unlike the BOS, use of EOW requires approval by a bishop. The resolution affirms Resolution D039 of the Denver Convention that outlined expectations of fidelity and monogamy in relationships, acknowledges a diversity of understanding and “pastoral practice with the gay men and lesbians among us,” and, it states, “we recognize that local faith communities are operating within the bounds of our common life as they explore and experience liturgies celebrating and blessing same-sex unions.”

The House of Bishops debated the substitute resolution on August 6, the day after they had voted to consent to the election of Gene Robinson as Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire. In the course of the debate, supporters of blessings agreed to an amendment removing the provision for the preparation of rites, and the bishops approved the amended resolution by a voice vote described as “overwhelming.”

Resolution C051 went before the House of Deputies the next day. Any changes in language would have meant a return to the House of Bishops, so those in favor supported it without amendment. A special rule of order, whereby deputies had one minute to speak, and those pro and con would speak alternately from microphones on opposite sides of the hall, governed the debate.

Those organizing the “pro” side assigned Lee Crawford, clergy deputy from Vermont, to speak first. She described the blessing of her own civil union with fellow deputy, Anne Brown, and told the House that, “straight couples said hearing our vows made them reconsider their own and strengthened their understanding of them.” She added, “Faith communities such as the one in which my partner and I were blessed are already experiencing the power of witnessing and supporting gay and lesbian couples. These communities are strengthened, not weakened by these services.”

The House of Deputies voted by orders [see page A], and of the 108 dioceses voting, 58 lay deputations voted yes, 38 no, and 12 were divided; 62 clergy deputations voted yes, 33 no, and 13 were divided.
Implications for Vermont

The resolution recognizes that those congregations who are blessing civil unions in Vermont are doing so “within the bounds of our common life” as Episcopalians. Bishop Ely is appointing a task force, with the Very Rev. Ken Poppe and Anne Brown as co-chairs, that will address what direction the diocese might take in terms of continued conversation, policies and rites.

Anne Clarke Brown is editor of the Mountain Echo.

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