The Episcopal Church, by an overwhelming majority, on Tuesday authorized a rite of blessing for same-sex couples committed to lifelong relationships on a three-year provisional basis.

The House of Deputies passed resolution A049 authorizing the use of a rite, with the permission of a Bishop, known as "The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant," starting on Dec. 2, the Day of Advent, which is the start of the denomination's liturgical year.

The House of Deputies clergy order voted 85-22, and four divided while the laity voted 86-19 with five divided. On Monday, the House of Bishops passed the resolution with a vote of 111 to 41 with three abstentions.

On Monday, Deputy Ruth Meyers of Chicago and Bishop Thomas Ely of Vermont, who chair the committee that passed the resolution, said it is "clearly a work in process."
The resolution includes a conscience clause that will allow priests from opting out of performing the blessing.

Under the resolution, the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music will study the matter during the next three years, looking into how the blessing of lifelong, committed same-sex relationships relates to Christian theology and scripture and to reflect on the matter with others in the Anglican Communion and ecumenical partners.

The resolution lets bishops authorize adaptation of resources to meet the needs of people in their dioceses, particularly in states which allow for same-sex marriages or civil unions for same-sex couples.

A minority report on the matter was issued by the Very Rev. David Thurlow, a member of the Prayer Book, Liturgy and Church Music Committee and a deputy of the Diocese of South Carolina.

"For 2,000 years, the church has had clear teaching regarding marriage," he said.

He also noted the committee's concern about ecumenical relations in other areas, such as maintaining use of the Revised Common Lectionary.

"[W]e haven't taken heed of th universal voice of the church universasl or the Anglican Communion," Rev. Thurlow added.

"This resolution marks a clear and significant departure - theological, doctrinal and in worship - from the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this church has received them," he said. It introduces a "new theology of human sexuality."

This year's resolution was proposed because in the past three years, the commission "heard stories of urgent pastoral need for these resources in congregations of the Episcopal Church," says an explanation that comes with the resolution.

In 2009, at the Episcopal Church's 76th General Convention, the denomination passed a resolution acknowledging "the changing circumstances" in the United States and other nations authorizing or forbidding marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships for gay and lesbian people.

The 2009 measure called for the creation and "consideration of theological and liturgical resources" for blessing same-sex relationships with a report on reactions to be presented at this year's General Convention.