Dear Sisters and Brothers,The Supreme Court of California has determined that all citizens of our state should have equal access to marriage as a civil right based in our state constitution. The Court's ruling provides the Church with an opportunity to reflect on our own theology of marriage. In the Diocese of Los Angeles, we have sought to provide the Church's blessing to all the baptized people of God.
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Among those are people who have sought to have same-sex relationships blessed in the community of faith. I know that the acceptance of same-sex unions has caused spiritual struggle and questioning for some members of our Diocese, our Church and the Anglican Communion. My policy has been to allow clergy to respond to the needs of their community with pastoral sensitivity including the blessing of these unions as they deem appropriate to the pastoral context.
Earlier this year, when the court made same-sex marriage an option in civil law, I felt it necessary to convene a task force to develop a diocesan policy by which clergy in our Diocese might officiate at same-sex marriages. The task force has developed educational materials that I hope will help you and members of our Diocese to reflect on the issues involved in same sex-marriage as we discern our way forward.
Earlier this year, when the court made same-sex marriage an option in civil law, I felt it necessary to convene a task force to develop a diocesan policy by which clergy in our Diocese might officiate at same-sex marriages. The task force has developed educational materials that I hope will help you and members of our Diocese to reflect on the issues involved in same sex-marriage as we discern our way forward.
I hope that all clergy in our Diocese might educate our congregations about marriage and have conversations about it.
Performing and blessing these marriages is not simply theoretical. There are real people in congregations large and small who have waited sometimes for many years for this opportunity, and the witness of their faithful love has been an inspiration to me. Other couples will step forward in the future. I hope you will take the opportunity in the next several weeks to listen to their stories. Many among these couples are members of our congregations.
While no one in this Diocese will be forced to move beyond what his or her conscience allows, we seek to provide that gracious space for those whose conscience compels them to bless the marriages of all faithful people as together we discern the work of the Holy Spirit who continues to lead us into all truth.
Your Brother in Christ,
J. Jon Bruno
Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles
J. Jon Bruno
Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles
3 comments:
Bishop Bono wrote
'While no one in this Diocese will be forced to move beyond what his or her conscience allows, we seek to provide that gracious space for those whose conscience compels them to bless the marriages of all faithful people as together we discern the work of the Holy Spirit who continues to lead us into all truth.'
What a fine & sensitive document- witnessing to both the working of the Holy Spirit in our Church and to the human fear in some quarters.
Susan+ when I remember your diocese and parish in my prayers and practice, it is with very real thanks for what I call the 'levening' of the Church going on out there. Bishop +Bono, Ed+ Bacon, yourself+- what gifts to the church you all are, what a lighthouse All Saints is for countless LGBT lives, far beyond the boundaries of your dioces, state and country.
Thank you
David@Montreal
Susan, flex your muscles down at the Diocesan Center and get them to put this on the Diocesan website sometime before the election, please.
:-)
john, there is already a link to it from the "Marriage" page, here:
http://ministries.ladiocese.org/organizations/ministries/marriage.html
Although, to be honest, I'm not sure how you get to that page. I found it by searching (in the upper right) for "marriage".
Jim
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