Affirming Catholicism has announced it is to publish a booklet on Civil Partnerships.
The press release is reproduced below the fold (as it is not yet on the AffCath website).
ekklesia has this news article: Affirming Catholicism and two bishops back civil partnerships.
*PRESS RELEASE *
Affirming Catholicism welcomes civil partnerships as pastoral opportunity for Church
As the first civil partnerships are about to be registered in England on 21 December, the progressive Anglican organisation Affirming Catholicism has announced the publication of a booklet calling on the Church to welcome the development as a pastoral opportunity and a means of listening to the experience of lesbian and gay Christians.
The booklet, written by an Anglican priest, argues that civil partnerships will provide a way out of the ‘catch 22’ which faces many homosexual Christians whose relationships are criticised for being unstable while – at the same time – the Church fails to offer any support which might help couples stay together. Canon Nerissa Jones, MBE, the Chair of Trustees said:
‘The period of listening and reception to which Anglicans are committed can’t happen on a purely theoretical level. It must also be about the lived experience of lesbian and gay Christians who need to feel safe enough to tell their stories. We believe that civil partnership can help give that security and that local clergy should offer prayer and support for couples.’
The Church of England Bishops have stated that, while there could be no authorised liturgy to bless same-sex couples until there was consensus on Church teaching, parish priests should nonetheless respond sensitively and pastorally to gay couples seeking blessings.
The publication, which opens with a foreword by The Very Rev’d Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans, calls for an end to the double standard at the heart of current Church teaching which accepts gay relationships between lay people but bans sexually active homosexual women and men from the priesthood. The booklet will be published on Friday 27 January 2006.
Ends
Anyone who, as a liberal, thinks that “conservatives are obsessed with sex” should take a look at the Affirming Catholic homepage 😉
Huh?
[If, by the number of links concerning “gays” or “homosexual” or “homosexuality”, you are equating that to *sex*, Dave, then you’re just proving the point!]
Hi JCF, 😮
You must be the only person I know who thinks that talking about “gays”, “homosexual” and “homosexuality” has nothing to do with sex. Would you like to expand on that a little?!
*Prejudicial blinders*, Dave: take ’em off! (You could lose your *obsession*, too)
Better yet, ask *Christ* to help you overcome your prejudices: He’s waiting…
[My work here is done.]
Dear JCF, What’s prejudiced about thinking that 90% of the links on the AF homepage being about “gays” or “homosexual” or “homosexuality” implies that AF is currently obsessed with sex ?
I think that, along with many other sexual variations, homosexuality is sinful because that is the consistent teaching of the Christian scriptures, church tradition, the CofE GS and HoB, the Anglican Communion (Lambeth 98 10.1, Primates meeting 05 and ACC 05) and the other main historical Catholic churches (RC & Orthodox).
Fortunately Jesus loves sinners – like you and me !!