On Saturday 31st May 2008 300 people gathered in St. Bartholomew the Great, London to celebrate the Eucharist and witness Rev Peter Cowell and Rev Dr John Lord commit themselves to each offer in an exclusive loving relationship following their Civil Partnership. It was heralded as the ‘First Gay Marriage’ and yet the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) has been supplying statistics to journalists on gay blessings in church, many in London, for the past 30+ years. So we were amazed to find the recent service conducted by Rev Martin Dudley, the rector, declared a 'first' in any respect.
From our experience there was nothing unusual about this service at all. It used a form of words similar to hundreds of liturgies we have seen over the years, though we thought the amendments to the marriage service in the Book of Common Prayer very elegant and will be including them in the help packs we send out.
In recent years we have sent out nearly 2000 such packs to couples seeking a blessing for their union or to priests who are celebrating them.
Perhaps the only thing to note about this service was the absence of a bishop actually conducting the blessing; we believe four in the sanctuary is the record so far in the British Isles.
Media coverage of the service is to be welcomed as it helps make clear the many human and religious issues at the heart of many people’s lives. Of particular note is the very welcome support from parishioners for the action of their vicar, and for the lives of the couple whose relationship was blessed, in stark contrast to the defensive and otiose posturing of the leadership of the diocese of London who acted as if something seriously untoward had occurred, when in fact St Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield had simply lived out the Gospel with integrity, consistency and love.
Following a statement from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Rowan Williams and John Sentamu, an investigation into the proceedings and the conduct of Rev Martin Dudley, the rector of St. Batholomew the Great has been ordered to establish if he has breached official Church teaching.
However, Martin Dudley can consider himself in good company as the disregarding of manifestly unjust official Church teaching has a long and honourable tradition of its own.
It has encompassed, for instance, campaigns against slavery, the use of unauthorised liturgies, remarriage of divorcees, and the ordination of women. All have come to pass and are now considered integral to the life of the Church, and all suffered a great deal of opposition form the Archbishops of the day.
No number of Resolutions, arguing for the status quo, whose effect is to entrench and defend the indefensible, can alter the fact that the Church of England is 'rent asunder' and unwilling to live out a gospel that treats all people as equals. That licensed clergy are willing to act on principle rather than out of prejudice, even though their position in the church is threatened because of their actions, shows up how much of a chasm exists at the very heart of the Church.
Click here for information about Services of Blessing for Same-Sex Couples.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Rev Sharon Ferguson
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7739 1249
Email: Sharon Ferguson
Richard Kirker
Chief Executive
Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement [LGCM]
Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, London, E2 6HG
Office Tel & Fax 020 7739 1249
www.lgcm.org.uk
lgcm@lgcm.org.uk
Registered
Charity No 1048842.