PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials
By Janette Williams, Staff Writer
Pasadena Star News
May 24, 2008
All Saints Church in Pasadena, one of the largest and most liberal Episcopalian congregations in the country, announced Thursday it will begin performing wedding ceremonies for gay couples starting June 16.
In what All Saints Rector the Rev. Ed Bacon called a "historic vote," church officials adopted the "Resolution on Marriage Equality" unanimously Thursday, after a special meeting of the 3,500-member congregation's lay leadership.
The church's action came in response to the California Supreme Court's May 15 ruling overturning the ban on gay marriage approved by voters in 2000. All Saints has performed blessings for same-sex couples for the past 15 years. But Bacon described the church vestry's vote as showing "stirring courage to move beyond lip service" to the church's commitment to equality by extending marriage rights to gay members.
"Today's decision is consistent with All Saints Church, Pasadena's identity as a peace and justice church," Bacon said in a statement Thursday. "It also aligns us with the Scriptures' mandate to make God's love tangible by 'doing justice and loving mercy' (Micah 6:8) and with the canons of our Episcopal Church that forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."
Those against same-sex marriage have vowed to overturn the appeals court's decision by putting a constitutional amendment initiative on the November ballot.
One opponent, Richard J. Mouw, president of the conservative Protestant Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, said Thursday that he believes All Saints is "making a very serious mistake" in performing marriage rites for same-sex couples - and he advised Bacon to read Romans 1.
All Saints has many valuable ministries and Bacon is a friend, Mouw said, "but it should be clear to everyone that he's out of step with his global Anglican communion and fostering what many of us sincerely believe is a real threat to the social fabric."
By linking gay marriage to issues of "justice and mercy" rather than moral standards, he said, All Saints restricts dialogue with people who have "legitimate questions" about their definition of marriage.
Bacon called the decision a "natural step forward on All Saints' lengthy journey of justice, peace and inclusion."
END
| Poster | Thread |
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| Cennydd | Posted: 2008/5/24 18:17 Updated: 2008/5/24 18:17 |
Home away from home   Joined: 2005/10/30 From: Los Banos, CA, Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin Posts: 6863 |
 Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptialsDo they have +Bruno's permission?
Probably....even though he says he doesn't permit it without his blessing! The man is a liar! Will TEC stop it? NO! Cennydd |
| quissum | Posted: 2008/5/24 19:08 Updated: 2008/5/24 19:08 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2006/2/18 From: Posts: 338 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials Didn't Bacon mean an "UN-natural step"?
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| daveball | Posted: 2008/5/24 20:01 Updated: 2008/5/24 20:01 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2004/12/18 From: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2377 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials Quote:
"Today's decision is consistent with All Saints Church, Pasadena's identity as a peace and justice church," Bacon said in a statement OK, it's a "peace and justice" church. It certainly is not a Christian church. What happens to all the "happy couples" when the legislature overturns the idiots that pass as judges in the loony state? |
| daveball | Posted: 2008/5/24 20:06 Updated: 2008/5/24 20:06 |
Home away from home Joined: 2004/12/18 From: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2377 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials If my friends on this site will forgive me for a non-thread post, this is my 1000th post, sort of a milestone for me. I thank God for the fellowship of all those who post on this site from whom I have learned so much. I thank David Virtue for his ministry in producing VirtueOnLine and the many insightful articles he writes. Most of all, I thank God that there remain faithful Anglicans who so openly share their witness to our Lord and Savior.
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| SixDays | Posted: 2008/5/24 20:26 Updated: 2008/5/24 20:26 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2006/2/23 From: Posts: 312 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials daveball;
Congratulations! Your posts are always a welcome sight. They are always insightful and informative. I always look forward to your posts. God bless you! SD |
| morrismpls | Posted: 2008/5/24 20:47 Updated: 2008/5/24 20:47 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2004/1/4 From: Posts: 496 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials I'm sure Bruno will be inhibiting Bacon immediately following his first gay "wedding."
Rowan??? Are you there Rowan????? |
| Damascus | Posted: 2008/5/24 22:02 Updated: 2008/5/24 22:02 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2004/9/26 From: Republic of Karelia Posts: 640 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials In answer to your question about what happens to those marriages, they will stand. If they were legal at the time they occurred then they will always be legal until they end by death or dissolution. That is why it is very important that the judges stay the implementation of their ruling until after the ballot initiative in November. It would be very irresponsible for them not to do so. If the initiative has the signatures to make it to the ballot and seems to have a reasonable chance of passing, it would be extremely foolish to not wait the few months and see how this turns out. It would be wrong to create some of these marriages and then thereafter forever ban them. It could create a whole slew of problems that it would be wiser to avoid.
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| DomWalk | Posted: 2008/5/25 1:53 Updated: 2008/5/25 1:53 |
Home away from home  Joined: 2007/6/9 From: Left Coast, USA Posts: 619 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials Congrats, daveball!
Now, you can never post again, or you'll mess up that nice round number. :-) + + + |
| Ikerliker | Posted: 2008/5/25 2:02 Updated: 2008/5/25 2:02 |
Home away from home Joined: 2007/1/16 From: PA Posts: 2051 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials Good old All Saint's Pasadena. Let's just plow ahead and ignore the Word of God for TEc's canons. What kind of screwy logic is that Mr. Bacon!
No surprises here. Unfortunately, this "church" is more interested in social justice and MDG's. Guess we don't give a hoot about Dar Es Salaam or the Windsor Report right before Lambeth. This should clearly demonstrate that TEc has absolutely NO intention of changing course. I guess Mrs. Schori's season of fasting on this matter is over as well. That was short lived. Proper 28 Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them; that, by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
| Ikerliker | Posted: 2008/5/25 2:05 Updated: 2008/5/25 2:05 |
Home away from home Joined: 2007/1/16 From: PA Posts: 2051 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials Congrats daveball! I just past 1000 myself. It was cool for me too! Kinda makes ya pause for the cause!
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| stormrider | Posted: 2008/6/9 2:10 Updated: 2008/6/9 2:10 |
Just popping in  Joined: 2008/3/13 From: Posts: 12 |
Re: PASADENA, CA: Church to begin same-sex nuptials It's really sad and pathetic that a church will stoop this low and promote this kind of crap, when it goes against nature and God. This church should know better than that. It's not difficult to understand why in the world of holy matrimony, God ordained man and woman (meaning Adam and Eve, NOT Adam and Bruce or Donna and Eve) to live as man and wife. God will never bless these unions at all, and Lord help us....
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