Episcopal bishop in Ark. OKs gay blessings

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Episcopal churches in Arkansas can offer blessing ceremonies for gay couples, the state's bishop said in a letter to clergy.


"It is my belief that seeking ways of recognizing and blessing faithful, monogamous same-sex relationships falls within the parameters of providing pastoral concern and care for our gay and lesbian members," wrote the Right Rev. Larry Maze, bishop of the 14,000-member Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas.

Maze noted in his letter sent to clergy Wednesday that no other national or state Episcopal leaders have produced or approved official rites for the blessings of same-sex unions.

He said the ceremonies will be local observances in each church, not approved formal rites. Arkansas has banned gay marriage, so same-sex couples will have no legal standing in the state.

Two churches — St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Little Rock and St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville — plan to offer the ceremonies.

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I'm surprised but happy this is happening in the state where I live.

Better get the oppressors out in force! Two churches blessing gay unions in Arkansas will cause the rickety structure of the Bad News Christians to totter ominously.

My marriage of all these years is sure to fail because of this. "The skiy is falling, the sky is falling!"

for a woman because of this ruling -- she was turning gay. My Dad was like, "WTF are you talking about???"

I love my Mom.

In the Name od Jesus

mind you i'm an episcopalian -- but that was right on the money.

i kept thinking about all the hetero divorces that are gonna happen now in arkansas -- or maybe some christians are going to spontaneously ignite or something.

I never expected the first Bishop-endorsed same-sex blessings in ECUSA to take place in Arkansas.

OTOH, with only 14,000 members, Arkansas sounds like one of the smallest dioceses in the United States. I would suspect that means that most conservatives and moderates belong to denominations like the Southern Baptists and Methodists, leaving ECUSA primarily for religious liberals.

However, the annoyingly conservative Anglican Digest is based in Arkansas. It must kill them to see this outbreak of The Homosexual Agenda right in their own diocese. :rofl: