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| Emmanuel’s Support for Same-Sex Marriage |
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EMMANUEL CHURCH has
long supported same-sex marriage and has blessed committed same-sex unions since 1981.
Following the Supreme Judicial Court’s May 2004 Goodridge decision
legalizing civil marriage for same-sex couples in Massachusetts, Emmanuel’s vestry
wrote A Message to
the Emmanuel Community about Sacramental Same-Sex Marriage.
At the October 2006 Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, Emmanuel’s
vestry submitted the resolution shown below.
Following its adoption, one of Emmanuel’s representatives remarked:
“The road still remains long
at the national level, but Cranmer’s beautiful marriage ceremony is one step
closer to belonging publicly to all of us.” |
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Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
221st Annual Convention
October 27–28, 2006
RESOLUTION ON MARRIAGE RITES
IN CIVIL JURISDICTIONS THAT PERMIT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
submitted by Elliott R. Carlson
on behalf of the Vestry of Emmanuel Church, Boston
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RESOLVED, that the 221st Convention of the Diocese
of Massachusetts request the 76th General Convention to authorize use of the rites for Celebration
and Blessing of a Marriage and The Blessing of a Civil Marriage in the Book of Common Prayer
for same-sex couples in those civil jurisdictions that permit same-sex marriage, and to
authorize modification of gender references in the rites to accommodate such marriages,
and be it further
RESOLVED, that the 221st Convention of the Diocese of Massachusetts request the 76th
General Convention to amend Title I, Canon 18: Of the Solemnization of Holy Matrimon by
striking the words “a man and a woman” and “husband and wife” wherever
they appear, and inserting in place thereof the words “two adults”, and be
it further
RESOLVED, that the 221st Convention of the Diocese of Massachusetts request the 76th
General Convention to amend Title I, Canon 19: Of Regulations Respecting Holy Matrimony,
by striking the words “husband or wife” and “the husband or the wife”,
wherever they appear, and inserting in place thereof the word “spouse”.
Adopted on votes of 265–102 and 268–102
October 28, 2006
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4/30/08 |
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