Of the many resolutions seeking to move the Episcopal Church toward marriage equality, none has received more attention than B012, the so called “pastoral generosity” resolution. The key clause is this one:
That in those dioceses, under the direction of the bishop, generous discretion in interpretation of The Book of Common Prayer is extended to clergy in the exercise of their pastoral ministry in order to permit the adaptation of the Pastoral Offices for The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage and The Blessing of a Civil Marriage for use with all couples who seek the church’s support and God’s blessing in their marriages;
A number of bishops and deputies have raised concerns that allowing “discretion” to “permit the adaptation” of rites in the Book of Common Prayer is an end run around the Convention’s responsibility to authorize changes to the prayer book. Others have asked why the Church should follow the state rather than making its own judgments on the issue of marriage.
As a result, advocates for marriage equality are refocusing their attention to some of the resolutions before the Committee on Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music, and trying to reassure their allies that the defeat or withdrawl of B012 is not a decisive blow against marriage equality at this convention.