Calif. Bishop Drives Gay 'Marriage' Momentum to Church

By Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, Jun. 12 2008

In a push to strengthen support for gay and lesbian persons, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California has initiated a process to move toward equality of marriage rites for same-sex couples.

The Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus released a pastoral letter on Monday urging clergy to encourage all couples, including homosexual ones, to first be married in a secular service and then seek the blessing of The Episcopal Church as the California diocese works for the "full inclusion" of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people.

"The Diocese of California seeks to provide, by advocacy and example, a way forward for The Episcopal Church so that the marriage of same-sex couples will be a part of our official marriage rites, without distinction," Andrus wrote. the rest