FINAL VERSION
Resolution:C025
Title:Amend Canon III.9.5(c.1): Recording Marriages and Civil Unions
Topic:Canons
Committee:13 - Prayer Book, Liturgy and Church Music
House of Initial Action:Bishops
Proposer:Diocese of Newark

Resolved, the House of _______ concurring, That the 76th General Convention make the following modification to the canons:

Canon III.9.5(c.1) is hereby amended to read as follows:

It shall be the duty of the Rector or Priest-in-Charge to record in the Parish Register all Baptisms, Confirmations (including the canonical equivalents in Canon I.17.1(d)), Marriages, Civil Unions and Burials.


EXPLANATION

The intent of states that adopt civil union statutes for same-sex couples is to provide such couples all the rights, benefits, obligations and responsibilities of marriage. While experts widely recognize that civil union statutes do not and cannot accord same-sex couples full marital equivalents, the intent of state legislatures is that same-sex couples be accorded full marital benefits, albeit without referring to the union as a marriage. Until same-sex couples are accorded full marriage rights it is incumbent upon the Church to recognize their unions in an identical manner as opposite-sex couples and to give civil unions the same dignity and respect bestowed on opposite-sex marriages. The Church does justice and exercises pastoral care by requiring clergy to record civil unions in the Parish Register in states that have enacted civil union statutes and in dioceses where the ecclesiastical authority permits clergy to officiate at such unions.