[QUOTE=Apishapa;521881]Headline in the morning paper, Religion & Ethics section:  "Gay bishop, partner plan civil union." 

"Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson said he is advancing plans for a private civil union in June with his partner of 20 years, Mark Andrew.

Five years ago, New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson made headlines by becoming the first openly gay bishop elected in the Episcopal Church or in the wider Anglican Communion."   

What are your thoughts on this?[/QUOTE]

I'm an Episcopalian, and I couldn't be more thrilled for Bishop Robinson, his partner, and their families.  So my thoughts are:  CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Actually, I'd like to see them come to California and get married (although that could be a trifle dicey if the damn DOMA amendment gets certified for the November ballot here).

[QUOTE=Mareczku;523086]If he is a bishop why should he have a civil union?  Shouldn't he have a church wedding? 

Peace - Mareczku[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="Navy"]IMO, he should be able to have a church wedding.  Unfortunately, the Episcopal Church has not yet come that far.  Individual dioceses have developed liturgies for the blessing of same-sex unions, but the Episcopal Church as a whole has drawn the line (to date) at either developing a standard, Church-wide liturgy for the blessing of SSUs or extending the sacrament of matrimony to same-sex couples in state-authorized civil unions or domestic partnerships, or - in the case of California effective June 15 - state-licensed marriages.

Technically, I think the Episcopal Church has now promised other, more conservative, member churches of the Anglican Communion that it will no longer even bless same-sex unions.  I'm not sure, though, whether Gene and his partner may not already have had their union blessed, since they've been together for such a long time and this promise by the Church to refrain from blessing SSUs is relatively recent.

LOL, I remember when, several years ago, the deacon of my cathedral and his partner had their union blessed - in church - by our bishop.  The bishop insisted :-)  Great reception in the Cathedral Close afterwards, too.  Excellent food :-)

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