A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 21 - Tuesday, May 25th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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OCA Reaffirms SCOBA Statement in Wake of Massachusetts Same-Sex Marriage Ruling SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] -- On Monday, May 17, 2004, in light of the recent decision of the US Supreme Court not to intervene in the legalization of same-sex marriages in the state of Massachusetts, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, reaffirmed the statement issued by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas [SCOBA]. The statement, "On the Moral Crisis in our Nation," clearly states and affirms the position of the Orthodox Church with regard to same-sex unions. It was initially issued by the SCOBA hierarchs on August 27, 2003. The complete text of the statement reads as follows. August 27, 2003 As members of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), representing more than 5 million Orthodox Christians in the United States, Canada and Mexico, we are deeply concerned about recent developments regarding “same sex unions.” The Orthodox Christian teaching on marriage and sexuality, firmly grounded in Holy Scripture, 2000 years of church tradition, and canon law, holds that marriage consists in the conjugal union of a man and a woman, and that authentic marriage is blessed by God as a sacrament of the Church. Neither Scripture nor Holy Tradition blesses or sanctions such a union between persons of the same sex. Holy Scripture attests that God creates man and woman in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27-31), that those called to do so might enjoy a conjugal union that ideally leads to procreation. While not every marriage is blessed with the birth of children, every such union exists to create of a man and a woman a new reality of “one flesh.” This can only involve a relationship based on gender complementarity. “God made them male and female... So they are no longer two but one flesh” (Mark 10:6-8). The union between a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Marriage reflects the union between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:21-33). As such, marriage is necessarily monogamous and heterosexual. Within this union, sexual relations between a husband and wife are to be cherished and protected as a sacred expression of their love that has been blessed by God. Such was God’s plan for His human creatures from the very beginning. Today, however, this divine purpose is increasingly questioned, challenged or denied, even within some faith communities, as social and political pressures work to normalize, legalize and even sanctify same-sex unions. The Orthodox Church cannot and will not bless same-sex unions. Whereas marriage between a man and a woman is a sacred institution ordained by God, homosexual union is not. Like adultery and fornication, homosexual acts are condemned by Scripture (Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Timothy 1:10). This being said, however, we must stress that persons with a homosexual orientation are to be cared for with the same mercy and love that is bestowed by our Lord Jesus Christ upon all of humanity. All persons are called by God to grow spiritually and morally toward holiness.
As heads of the
Orthodox Churches in America and members of SCOBA,
we speak with one voice in expressing our deep
concern over recent developments. And we pray
fervently that the traditional form of marriage,
as an enduring and committed union only between a
man and a woman, will be honored.
+Metropolitan
HERMAN
+Metropolitan
PHILIP, Vice Chairman
+Archbishop
NICOLAE
+Metropolitan
CHRISTOPHER, Secretary
+Metropolitan
JOSEPH
+Metropolitan
NICHOLAS of Amissos,
+Metropolitan
CONSTANTINE
+Bishop ILIA of
Philomelion |
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