Theological Considerations on The Blessing of Same-Sex Unions

Introduction:

As a reflection on the topic of how theology impacts the discussion of the issue of the blessing of same-sex unions one must first consider how one explores a topic from a theological perspective. One might ask how does a theologian with a specific focus address this issue. For instance how might the perspective of a Process Theologian be different from a Feminist Theologian, from a Systematic Theologian. How does one reflect theologically on this issue and also what images are evoked as one considers the various aspects of the theology of this issue of the blessing of same-sex unions.

This commission has considered the papers presented to the Diocese of Toronto on this issue, and have used these papers that were obtained from the Diocese of Toronto website page entitled, “Resources available from consultation on same-sex blessings.”

A short summary has been written on each of the papers to accompany the papers so as to encourage readers to reflect theologically on this issue.

SYNOPSIS

A Theology of Marriage

Stephen Reynolds

Stephen Reynolds begins by distinguishing the pastoral counselling and the canon law approach to the meaning of marriage from the theological approach. He focuses theologically on mystery and says, “the theological investigation of a mystery has to do with meaning and significance-with meaning and significance in the context of, and by reference to, the revelation of God in Christ. A ‘theology of marriage,’ then, will consider matrimony in relation to the creative economy and saving purpose of the three-personed God.” He grounds this exploration in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, 5.28-32, which compares marriage to the relationship of Christ, “the Son of God,” to the “holy people of God,” the Church. He says, “So marriage – in particular marriage as blessed in and by the Church – somehow represents, symbolizes, signifies, or, yes, even ‘sacraments’ the public secret of the Son of God’s relationship with the community of the faithful.”

The theological concept of marriage compared to the union between Christ and the Church is further expounded to point out that even though there is union there is also individuality. Reynolds in fact stresses the following: “our individuality is more truly established because it is united with the life of Christ…the Christian tradition says that the divine Word participates in our humanity so that we human beings might participate in his divinity.” He develops these theological concepts to further reiterate the mystery of marriage.

Reynolds goes on to list the causes for which marriage was ordained, giving each one a Biblical basis. In addition he points out the different emphasis given these causes in the various editions of the Book of Common Prayer and subsequently the Book of Alternative Services, which places emphasis on the “mutual comfort and help” or “mutual friendship,” that one spouse is to have for the other. He goes on to say that there are many dimensions of the union of the two spouses and that “it is the whole union, in all its dimensions, that the Church blesses in the name of God.”

In his reference to the issue of same-sex union he quotes the teaching of Augustine on marriage, “the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one (partner) ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity” as the sufficient and definitive reason for marriage. This relegates sexual intercourse and procreation of children to a secondary position in the reasons for marriage. He says the sex of the partners is not the issue in relation to the “mystical union,” but rather the mutuality within the relationship. Given that mutuality is of primary importance he concludes by asking the following question: “is it impossible that the mystical union betwixt Christ and his Church may serve as grounds for helping the Church to imagine the possibility of blessing the union of man and man and woman and woman as well as that of man and woman?”