Task Force on Study of Marriage issues report of work
[November
5, 2013] The Episcopal Church Task Force on the Study of Marriage has issued
the following report:
The
Episcopal Church’s Task Force on the Study of Marriage has begun to dig into
the depth and breadth of its work, enabled by Resolution A050 at the 2012
General Convention. The Rev. Brian C. Taylor, chair, reports, “We’re making
enormous progress on the broad charge we’ve been given, thanks to the
enthusiasm and commitment of our members and those with whom we are already in
conversation. This is a conversation and study whose time has obviously come,
and we are grateful to be part of it.”
Taylor
also said that the Task Force is “hopeful that the broad circle of input we are
gathering will help empower the Episcopal Church in its ongoing mission to be
Christ’s light to the world in our day.”
The
Task Force’s initial meeting was July 29-August 1 during which they were
reminded that they were being asked to move more deeply into an understanding
of relationships that embody the values that were identified by our church in
General Convention 2000: "fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and
respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those
in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (Resolution
D039).
Coming
out of the initial meeting, the Task Force members divided their work into
three broad areas, currently being carried out by working groups via conference
calls and email:
The
working group on Marriage: Historical, Liturgical and Canonical Roots is
developing a paper that tracks the evolution of marriage in the Christian, then
Episcopal tradition, from post-New Testament times to the present. Another
possible outcome for its work will hopefully be a video overview of this
history that could be used by dioceses and congregations in preparation for
General Convention 2015.
The
working group on Marriage: Biblical and Theological Dimensions is also
developing a paper, one that looks at various Judeo-Christian teachings on
marriage in our scriptures. This paper will also unpack the theology as
expressed in the marriage rite of The Book of Common Prayer, especially tracing
the arc that moves from creation, through sin and redemption, to the
fulfillment of God’s intention for creation.
The
working group on Marriage: Conversations and Consultations; Changing Norms is
spreading out into communication with various Standing Committees of our
church, the Anglican Communion office, the International Anglican Liturgical
Consultation, ecumenical partners, chancellors, and state legislators. They
will also solicit input from individuals and couples throughout our church, who
will be invited to post one-minute stories about how they have experienced
God’s grace in their own or others’ marriage. And they will review research
being done by Pew Research, recognized scholars in the field, and other
sources.
Upcoming
meetings: Taylor and Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, vice-chair, will provide an
interim report and receive input at the March 21, 2014 House of Bishops meeting
at Camp Allen, Texas. They will also be included in a June 2014 Standing
Committee on Liturgy and Music’s consultation with Anglican and Episcopal
partners from places where same-sex marriage is legal. The Task Force will meet
again in late March for the second face-to-face meeting with the whole group.
While
it is possible that, as Resolution A050 itself stated, this work may need to
continue beyond General Convention 2015, Taylor says that in preparation for
2015, “As charged by our enabling resolution, we will have a theological paper,
a curriculum for local reflection and conversation, a bibliography, videos and
other information on the history and current experience of marriage in our
church, and a suggested way forward as our church navigates the continuing
evolution of marriage in our day.”
Task Force Members
The members of the Task Force on the Study of Marriage are:
The Rev. Brian C. Taylor, chair, Diocese of the Rio Grande
Carolyn M. Chilton, Diocese of Virginia
The Rt. Rev. Thomas C. Ely, Diocese of Vermont
Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, vice-chair, Diocese of East Carolina
The Rev. Gail Greenwell, Diocese of Kansas
The Rev. Tobias S. Haller, Diocese of New York
The Rev. Canon W. (Will) H. Mebane, Jr., Diocese of Ohio
The Rev. J. David Knight, Diocese of Mississippi
The Rev. Dr. Cameron E. Partridge, Diocese of Massachusetts
The Rev. Canon Susan Russell, Diocese of Los Angeles
The Very Rev. Dr. Sylvia A. Sweeney, Diocese of Los Angeles
The Rt. Rev. W. Andrew Waldo, Diocese of Upper South Carolina
Resolution
A050 is available in full here.
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