The Episcopal Church recently passed a resolution to further inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community.
At their 81st General Convention in June, Anglican leaders voted to revise the catechism that defines holy marriage in the Book of Common Prayer.
Instead of stating that marriage is between a woman and a man, the Prayer Book now uses the term “two people.” This change brings the Catechism into line with the Church’s norms on marriage.
“This resolution defines holy matrimony in a way that is consistent with the current teachings and beliefs of the Episcopal Church,” Archbishop Ruth Woodliffe Stanley of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina said in a statement. “We believe that God’s love extends to all people without exception, and we will continue to be a place of welcome for all.”
The revised catechism’s full text reads: “Christian marriage is a lifelong union between two people, in which they make vows before God and the Church and receive God’s grace and blessing to fulfill those vows.”
The Anglican Church is governed by a General Synod, which meets every three years to consider resolutions submitted to the Church. For a resolution to be passed, it must be agreed to by both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, which make up the Church’s bicameral parliament.
The Rev. Adam Shoemaker of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, who served as associate minister at this year’s General Conference, said the resolution was passed unanimously in the House of Representatives, which includes more than 800 representatives from dioceses across the country.
“This resolution is focused on bringing greater clarity to something the church has already begun to put into practice,” Shoemaker said.
The resolution would have to be voted on again at the next two General Assemblies, so if it passes, the changes would not be official until 2030. The revised catechism is currently in “test use.”
“This updated language is part of our unwavering commitment to inclusivity as we share Christ’s love with all of God’s children and uphold our baptismal promise to ‘respect the dignity of every person,'” Bishop Woodliffe Stanley said.
The Episcopal Church has been working to increase LGBTQ+ inclusivity for half a century, with the nonprofit group IntegrityUSA leading the General Conference in the 1970s to pass a resolution saying “Homosexuals are children of God.”
In 2003, a New Hampshire priest was elected the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, and nearly a decade later, the General Conference passed a liturgy to bless same-sex unions.
In 2015, five days after the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision granting marriage equality to same-sex couples, the Episcopal Church voted to amend church law regulating marriage to grant all couples the right to marry.
Shoemaker said several Episcopal leaders at this year’s General Conference recalled times when LGBTQ+ inclusivity was a contentious issue within the church and noted how far the church has come to pass the resolution unanimously.
Shoemaker said the resolution was “an important step toward full inclusion.”
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