What shall we bless? Clergy are asked to bless all sorts of objects and beings, from Parrots to toilets, from shipyards to oranges and primroses. Writing in the Guardian, the Rev. David Chance wonders why the Church of England’s hierarchy is so unwilling to bless those entering into civil partnerships – men and women who want God’s blessing on their commitments.
A good and relevant question.
What do we bless?
What should we bless?
Toilets, insects … but not civil partnerships
By the Rev. David Chance in the Guardian (UK)
I have been asked to bless ships at Appledore shipyard, lifeboats, the new bridge over the river Torridge, school buildings, cars, trains, private homes, homes for the elderly and handicapped, undertakers’ offices, local and county councils, a church toilet, pilgrims, new babies, gardens, a shoe shop, the dying, pets (parrots, horses, cats, dogs and stick insects), countless wedding couples, oranges at Christmas and primroses at Easter. All this I did happily, thinking God, through the C of E, was blessing people and their concerns with his non-judgmental love. So why is the C of E leadership seeming to be so unwilling to allow clergy to bless civil partnerships – men and women who want God’s blessing on their commitments?