No Moratorium on Canadian Gay Marriage Blessings
Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada agreed not to encourage same-sex union blessings but fell short of placing a moratorium on such ceremonies.
Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada agreed not to encourage same-sex union blessings but fell short of placing a moratorium on such ceremonies.
The Anglican Church of Canada, alongside its US counterpart, was asked to refrain from blessing homosexual unions by the international Anglican church.
During the House of Bishops' meeting in Windsor, Ontario, the Canadian bishops pushed asside the decision on gay marriage blessings to the General Synod - the church's highest decision-making body, which meets in 2007.
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"On the matter of a moratorium on the authorization of public rites for the blessing of same sex unions, we commit ourselves neither to encourage nor to initiate the use of such rites until General Synod has made a decision on the matter," the bishops wrote.
Ultimately in the time being, the same-sex marriage blessings within the Canadian Episcopal Church will continue.
"As of now, the rites are continuing. There's no change indicated," Neale Adams, spokesman for the Ottowa diocese, told Reuters.
The House of Bishops also sidestepped a request that the church voluntarily withdraw from a key international Anglican meeting because of the same-sex marriage blessing issue.
"We see the value of the opportunity for reflection and response called for in the Windsor Report, but we also see risks inherent in honouring the request." the bishops wrote. "...within our constitutional polity it is the responsibility of the Council of General Synod to consider and make a decision regarding this request."
To read the bishops' full statement, visit:
http://www.anglican.ca/news/news.php?newsItem=2005-04-27_statement.news
