A Province I task force has issued "a pastoral resource for Province I Episcopal clergy ministering to same-sex couples." The document is the first of its kind in the Episcopal Church.

The report was accepted at the Province I synod held November 21 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Concord, New Hampshire with a resolution stating that its "use is to be determined by diocesan bishops."

The document consists of four parts: an historical and theological overview of same-gender unions; an exploration of issues specific to same-gender couples and their congregations; a statement of legalities, which vary from state-to-state; and a framework for counseling same-gender couples who desire a public commitment. An appendix of websites, books, documents and other resources is also included in the report.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Parishes • * Christian Life / Church Life • Parish Ministry • * Culture-Watch • Sexuality • --Civil Unions & Partnerships

1. COLUMCIL wrote: So this must be the Anglican Communion Covenant.  I hope they sent a copy to the ABC. November 25, 12:31 pm | [comment link]

2. Susan Russell wrote: And just in case anybody’s looking for pre-marital counseling resources, “Prepare/Enrich” ... http://www.prepare-enrich.com/indexm.cfm ... has had same-sex couple modules for a number of years now. November 25, 2:07 pm | [comment link]

3. nwlayman wrote: A very useful title might be “Marriage:  Making It Up As We Go Along”. Goes well with the rest of the theology of Anglicanism. November 25, 3:07 pm | [comment link]

4. Larry Morse wrote: They have all sorts of texts to help the counseling. That’s good. But I wonder why the Bible was not listed among them. What can the answer be? Or maybe the Bible sort of interferes in its own clumsy officious way with the counseling, considering what it has to say about homosexuality.  Seriously, however, what do you suppose the counseling can consist of in a Christian context when it deals with sex and scripture? Do the counselors just ignore the Bible, or do t hey just cherrypick the passages? larry November 25, 11:49 pm | [comment link]

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