Special Message from the Bishop: Roman Catholic Statement

March 23, 2021

Comments on Statement from the Vatican

The following message from the Bishop was originally written on March 17, 2021

My Beloved Siblings in Christ Jesus,

I have been asked about a recent statement from the Vatican that says that the Roman Catholic Church Cannot Bless Same-Sex Marriages.

I really have very little to say regarding the teaching of another Christian tradition. The Statement reflects the consistent historic teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. It is in keeping with a particular understanding of natural law theology, and is related to that denomination’s teaching on birth control and even the ordination of women. While I value that tradition of Christianity and I have learned much from the Roman Catholic Church (especially recently from Pope Francis in the Encyclical Letters Laudato si' and Fratelli tutti), I understand the limitations of all denominations and how finite human institutions often engage the world. I am saddened some felt that this Statement was needed.

In the end, as a Bishop of the Episcopal Church, I am somewhat indifferent regarding this Statement from the Vatican except insofar as it continues to hurt and marginalize some of the children of God. As Episcopalians, we need to be aware of the teaching of our Church.

Keep in mind that The Episcopal Church acts through General Convention (the governing body of our Church which includes the House of Deputies made up of clergy and lay deputies from each diocese and the House of Bishops) by resolutions, canons (church law) and authorized liturgical (worship) material. We established theological support for same-sex marriage with two General Convention resolutions in 2015. The first formally approved gender-neutral and same-sex marriage ceremonies, and the second changed the current marriage “canons” to allow clergy to officiate same-sex marriages using either a marriage rite from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer or a “trial” liturgy.

In 2018, the General Convention approved expanding marriage rites for same-sex couples to all dioceses. Bishops who object to marriage equality on theological grounds may request that pastoral care and oversight for same-sex couples (who wish to be married by priests in their home churches) be provided by another Episcopal bishop. The resolution also makes clear that no clergy member can be forced to preside at any marriage ceremony (that actually has always been true and is nothing new).

In 1994 “sexual orientation” was added to the non-discrimination canons for ordination in the Episcopal Church. In 2009 General Convention adopted a resolution stating that, “God’s call is open to all,” and eradicating discriminatory barriers to the election of bishops. The Church had previously consecrated its first openly gay bishop in 2003. General Convention formally approved transgender ordination in 2012.

The teaching of the Episcopal Church (and therefore actions of General Convention) has been shaped by 1979 Book of Common Prayer and, especially the Baptismal Covenant (pages 304-305). Through the decades, we have asked and answered the following over and over again:

Celebrant Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

People I will, with God's help.

To put it another way, in the words of the 2nd Bishop of the Diocese of Hawaiʻi (and the 24th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church), the late Edmund Browning: “There will be no outcasts in this church.” As our current Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, puts it: “Well, again, Jesus said the supreme law is the law of love. He was very clear about that, Matthew 22. There can be no debate about that. The New Testament was absolutely clear about that: to love God and love the neighbor, that is what the will of God calls for.”

Marriage is the highest form of interpersonal commitment and friendship achievable between sexually attracted persons. The issue before the Episcopal Church has been how to understand the inclusion of gay and lesbian individuals and couples in our community. Daniel Maguire, Professor Emeritus of Ethics at Marquette University, has defined marriage as “the legal union of persons who are bonded in a permanent, sexually exclusive friendship.” I have found this definition most helpful. Marriage can be understood as a process, not a state. State comes from the Latin stare, to stand or to be static. Nothing we know in this world is static, especially our friendships. Friendship involves the blending of two diverse sacred personalities; it can be stable only in direction, but it will never be static or unchanging. To marry is to enter a process. Not all friendships survive the strain of the process. The hope is that they will. The acknowledgement of this process in the marital friendship with two sexually attracted adults looks to offer the security and hope of the union despite the ebb and flow of time. Two sacred personalities are provided the possibility of deepening the relationship in a marital community with the hope for individual growth. Joys and sorrows, the birth of a child or the death of a parent, success or illness, maturity and aging, these natural events can draw the marrying partners together, enhancing their respective sacred personalities within the reality of the world. The Episcopal Church has concluded that the desire to bless such unions must be offered to all of God’s people.

The Episcopal Church has decided that couples – if one of the couple is a Baptized Christian and both are mature adults willing to take on the commitments – are welcome to receive the sacramental rite of Marriage regardless of the sex or gender of the individuals. The couple are to be instructed on the expectations of Marriage including the hope that the union is permanent and lifelong, and that it is sexually exclusive. While we have made provision for clergy and Episcopalians who disagree with this decision, it is the reality of The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Hawaiʻi in 2021. As a Bishop, I have officiated at the Marriage of same sex couples. As Episcopalians in Hawaiʻi, we have engaged this conversation over many decades and understand it settled. It is no longer an issue for civil authorities – especially in Hawaiʻi. It has been decided for most of us in The Episcopal Church and for Episcopalians in these Islands that: “There will be no outcasts in this church.”