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Sacred Union Ceremonies: How gnostics mimic marriage
In a wide-ranging paper, Rev Dr Max Champion provides a timely critique of the 'sacred union ceremony'. An extract is below. The full paper can be downloaded as a pdf (8 pages)
The Sacred Union Ceremony
On 12 June 2010 a sacred union ceremony, organised by Uniting Network Australia, was held at Brunswick Uniting Church in Melbourne to bless same-sex couples in committed relationships. Robed clergy officiated, a sermon was preached, vows were exchanged, certificates signed and a wedding cake provided. The following day President Alistair Macrae received a copy of the liturgy used in the ceremony and advised UNA leaders that ‘if they want clarity in this matter they should consider the usual church processes for introducing it through the Councils of the Church for discussion, discernment and debate.'
In the light of decisions at the 2003 and 2006 Assemblies that implicitly accepted same-sex relations among ordained ministers as a legitimate form of diversity in the UCA, it is not surprising that formal recognition of same-sex relationships is now sought. UNA is highly likely to bring a recommendation on this matter to the Thirteenth Assembly, 15-21 July 2012.
As the UCA has never given theological reasons for these seismic changes to the Reformed doctrine of sexuality and marriage, it is necessary to try to understand why something so recently regarded as inimical to human flourishing is now strongly supported and promoted as a positive good and an inalienable right.
From Christian Orthodoxy to Gnostic Spirituality
The answer is to be found in the shift from Christian patterns of thought to those based on new forms of Gnostic spirituality - an abstract, other worldly philosophy that was parasitic on orthodox Christian belief and focussed on esoteric knowledge (gnosis) of the spiritual world that is accessible to people when they look deep within themselves.