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Bishop Mariann speaks on marriage equality

Date: February 8, 2012

The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde sent a letter to the Diocese of Washington on Tues., Feb. 7, outlining her support of the marriage equality legislation under consideration by Maryland's legislature. Full text of her initial letter appears below, as does a follow-up message sent to the diocese on Thurs., Feb. 9.

Click the following links for further information:

Bishop Mariann's original letter to the Diocese of Washington

Related article by the bishop in The Washington Post's blog On Faith

Episcopal Diocese of Washington on Facebook

Bishop Mariann's follow-up letter to the diocese

Bishop's blog for comments

On marriage equality (Feb. 7)

Dear Friends of the Diocese of Washington,

At the Jan. 27-28 Diocesan Convention, I indicated my intention to speak publicly in support of the marriage equality legislation under consideration in the Maryland legislature. Today in the Washington Post's On Faith section, I argue that there are sound biblical foundations to support marriage equality. You can read my essay here.

It is, as always, my intention to be respectful of Christians who interpret Scripture differently while at the same time be clear that it is possible to come to a position affirming marriage equality on the basis of Scripture. I count myself among those who believe that the movement toward the full acceptance and inclusion of gay and lesbian people in church and society is born of the Spirit.

I welcome your response, in full recognition that our church is not of one mind on this or other important matters of biblical interpretation. You may certainly e-mail me directly, or participate in a wider conversation on the diocesan Facebook page.

Faithfully,
Bishop Mariann

Message from Bishop Mariann (Feb. 9)

Many thanks to all who have written to me or posted on the diocesan Facebook page in response to my Washington Post On Faith essay in support of marriage equality. We are not of one mind on this and other important issues, and I am grateful for your honesty and thoughtfulness.  Forgive me if I do not respond to you each personally; the volume of response has been both gratifying and humbling.

The public voice of my office is a sacred trust, and I pledge to use it with care and full consideration of the impact on those who disagree with my decisions. I also will tell you in advance of my public positions, so that you hear first from me.

Yet I will not shy from the public realm of ministry. It is, in the scriptural mandate given to us by the prophets and Jesus' example of engagement with the political and religious authorities of his day, a non-negotiable dimension of our call as Christians. Our baptismal covenant includes a promise to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."

We in the Episcopal Church have a particular vocation in the public arena in this era of intensely polarized and often demeaning civic discourse and when the word "Christian" is often associated with views that do not reflect the gospel imperatives of Jesus. We need to be present, all of us.

Faithfully,
Bishop Mariann

> link to blog for comments <