Polyamory and Holy Union in Metropolitan Community Churches
Polyamory and Holy Union In Metropolitan Community Churches Frances Luella Mayes May 5, 2003 Ecumenical Theological Seminary Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Ministry Degree. Approved: Date: 5 May 2003 ___________________________________________ __________ The Rev. Dr. David Swink, D.Min., Committee Chair ___________________________________________ __________ Dr. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Phd., Content Specialist ___________________________________________ __________ Dr. Anneliese Sinnott, Phd., O.P., Faculty Reader ___________________________________________ __________ The Rev. Paul Jaramogi, D.Min., Peer Reader Rev. Frances Mayes, MCC Holy Union All rights reserved. Frances L. Mayes, 2003 ii Rev. Frances Mayes, MCC Holy Union Abstract Metropolitan Community Churches have performed Holy Union commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples since 1969. An ongoing internal dialogue concerns whether to expand the definition to include families with more than two adult partners. This paper summarizes historical definitions of marriage and family, development of sexual theology, and current descriptions of contemporary families of varying compositions. Fourteen interviews were conducted to elicit the stories of non- monogamous MCC families. Portions of the interviews are presented as input into the discussion. iii Rev. Frances Mayes, MCC Holy Union Acknowledgements The author would like to acknowledge the help and support given to her by the dissertation committee: Chairman Rev. Dr. David Swink, Content Specialist Dr. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Reader Dr. Anneliese Sinnot, OP, and Peer Reader Rev. Paul Jaramogi, who nurtured this paper’s evolution. Thanks also to the Emmaus Colleague Group who patiently stood with me as my theology and practice changed and developed, and who gestated with me the four mini- project papers that preceded the dissertation.
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