Before the roll call vote, Bishop Duncan Gray of Mississippi pleaded with his brothers and sisters in the House of Bishops for an air of humility.  “I know this will pass,” he prophesied. “Can we walk beyond this vote with a sense of humility and less of a triumphant way?”

(CNN)  Episcopal priests will be allowed to conduct services blessing same-sex relationships under a policy approved Tuesday at the church’s national convention in Indianapolis.

The convention’s House of Bishops approved the provisional policy 111-41 with three abstentions Monday, clearing it for consideration by the House of Deputies, which approved it Tuesday evening.

The policy was approved in the House of Deputies, following more than an hour of debate, by 78% of the voting lay members and by 76% of clergy.

With the vote, the Episcopal Church will become the largest U.S. denomination to officially sanction same-sex relationships. The Episcopal Church has about 1.95 million members in the United States, down 16% over the last decade, according to the church.

The service is not considered a marriage ceremony, media affairs representative Nancy Davidge said.

“We have authorized a blessing, and a blessing is different than a marriage,” she said. “A blessing is a theological response to a monogamous, committed relationship.”

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Commentary:  “It was horrifying”

(VirtureOnline)  It was horrifying to watch and listen to the House of Bishops vote for same-gendered blessing liturgy.

Bishop after bishop, following the calling of their name, answered “Yes.”
Bishop Alexander – yes; Bishop Benhase – yes; Bishop Whitmore – yes; Bishop Gray-Reeves – yes; Bishop Robinson – yes. One hundred and eleven times the answer was “Yes.”

Bishop Douglas – yes; Bishop Gulick – yes; Bishop Peter Lee – yes; Bishop Jones – yes; Bishop Glasspool – yes; Bishop Johnston – yes; Bishop Beisner – yes; Bishop Jeffers-Schori – yes …

With each “yes”, my heart dropped a little farther, another tear formed.
Again The Episcopal Church was hurtling down a path of spiritual self-destruction.
It was heartbreaking to witness. It is soul-wrenching to write about.

Before the roll call vote, Bishop Duncan Gray of Mississippi pleaded with his brothers and sisters in the House of Bishops for an air of humility.   “I know this will pass,” he prophesied. “Can we walk beyond this vote with a sense of humility and less of a triumphant way?”

The Mississippian was correct. A-049 passed and, for the most part, The Episcopal Church is celebrating.

So much for restraint, Bishop Gene Robinson immediately tweeted: “Episcopal Bishops authorize rite of blessing for same-sex relationships 111 to 41. ‪#LGBT”

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline where this article appeared; it is used with permission.