Gay marriage in episcopal church

Being inclusive of all people is core tenet of the Episcopal Church and they began allowing same-sex marriage in , days after the United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. For decades, LGBTQ+ Episcopalians and allies have worked to make The Episcopal Church a place of belonging and inclusion. We have prayed, studied, and discerned, and in doing so, we have seen the evidence of God’s blessing in the lives and love of our LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ.

The majority of the American Episcopal Church (93 dioceses) already allows gay marriage in their churches. This vote affects eight dioceses that did not allow for religious ceremonies to be conducted inside their sanctuaries. August Integrity runs into trouble when planning its first national meeting in Chicago because the promotional materials mention gay marriage, upsetting some local church leaders. At its triennial convention in Austin, Texas, the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops and House of Deputies voted to approve resolution B, allowing gay and lesbian couples to be married by clergy in eight dioceses that had previously not allowed marriage rites for same-sex couples.

With an estimated 2. Unlike the Worldwide Anglican Communion, of which it is a part, the Episcopal Church does not condemn homosexuality.

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With 2 million members, the U. The church operates under the direction of two legislative bodies: the House of Deputies, with lay and clergy representatives from across the church, and the House of Bishops, which includes all bishops of the church. Together they make doctrinal, administrative and budgetary decisions at a General Convention that convenes every three years.

An Executive Council of clergy and lay leaders manages the business of the church in the intervening period, and are elected at each General Convention, with a Presiding Bishop elected every nine years. Changes to the church constitution and to canon law are enacted only through a majority vote in both houses. The Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church set forth the rules and procedures that govern its congregations.

The Episcopal Church consists of nine provinces, each containing multiple dioceses. Some dioceses encompass an entire state and others are outside the United States in Europe, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The law further specifies that administrative forms must include options for both preferred and legal names, and for gender identity and pronoun preference. In an intentional move toward diversity, it adds,.

The Episcopal Church codified theological support for same-sex marriage with two resolutions passed in One of the core compromises of B was to allow clergy who object to marriage equality on theological grounds to request that another bishop provide pastoral care and oversight for same-sex couples who wish to be married by priests in their home churches.

The resolution also makes clear that no clergy member can be forced to preside over any marriage ceremony. In , the church committed to oppose all legislation that restricts public restroom, locker room and shower access for transgender and gender non-conforming people. However, the church had already consecrated its first openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church also approved transgender ordination at its General Convention.

Women have been ordained priests and elected bishops in the Episcopal Church since By clicking "GO" below, you will be directed to a website operated by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, an independent c 3 entity. To learn more, please read our Privacy Policy. Accept More Information.

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