Canadian Synod Plans Decisive Vote on Same-Sex Blessings

(The Rev.) George Conger
03/13/2007

The Anglican Church of Canada will hold an up or down vote on same-sex blessings when its General Synod meets June 19-25 in Winnipeg.

Meeting March 9-11 in Mississauga, Ontario, the Council of General Synod approved the request. General Synod is the highest legislative assembly in the Canadian church; Council of General Synod is the governing body when General Synod is not in session.

“Another three years does us no good whatever because in the eyes of the Communion, we will have crossed the Rubicon and whatever damage has been done will have been done,” said Canada's primate, the Most Rev. Andrew Hutchison.

Archbishop Hutchison, who will step down at the conclusion of synod, said Council of General Synod should assist synod in its deliberations on homosexuality at General Synod, not manipulate the outcome. Submission of the resolutions by the council was not an endorsement, but served to place the issue before the Church’s senior governing body, a member of the council told The Living Church.

Archbishop Hutchison told the council he believed same-sex blessings are an appropriate pastoral response to specific local circumstances and not a question of creating a new doctrine on marriage. However, whatever synod decided, Archbishop Hutchison hoped that synod would not postpone a clear decision.

General Synod will be asked to vote on a motion that “resolves that the blessing of same-sex unions is consistent with the core doctrine” of the Canadian church.

A second resolution would request the Council of General Synod to “consider a revision” of the marriage canon “including theological rationale to allow marriage of all legally qualified persons.” In 2006 the Canadian parliament created gay marriage under law; however churches are not required to marry same-sex couples.

The council rejected a third resolution asking for consideration of a canonical change permitting the solemnization of same-sex marriages and blessings.

The council also recommended that the rules of voting be suspended and that for these two resolutions to pass, they must garner a supermajority. Depending on the type of vote synod adopts, approval would require a 60 percent majority of all diocesan representatives or a minimum of 60 percent approval if the vote is by orders.

General Synod will also present Canada’s response to the Windsor Report.

Supporters of same-sex blessings are scheduled to gather in Ottawa April 13-14 for a “Whole Message Conference,” led by the former Canadian primate, the Most Rev. Michael Peers, and the retired Bishop of Connecticut, the Rt. Rev. Arthur E. Walmsley.

This article comes from The Living Church Foundation
http://www.livingchurch.org/

The URL for this story is:
http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=3132