Last-minute manoeuvring at a meeting of Anglican Church of Canada leaders has unexpectedly caused the church to “affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same-sex relationships.”
The decision comes a day after the delegates seemed to have deferred the controversial issue for three years. But, although Canadian Anglicans woke up Thursday morning thinking that divisive topic had been dropped for now, it was back on the agenda in St. Catharines, Ont.
After debate that a conservative faction within the church said was cut unreasonably short, delegates voted to approve it by a show of hands. The process has left these conservatives furious and worried about the reaction of other Anglican churches.
The spokesman for a conservative church group called Anglican Essentials said that they feel deceived that the motion passed Wednesday night – which called for the issue to be referred to theological scholars – could have been so quickly contradicted by Thursday's addition. He said that sections one through five of the motion, which were passed Wednesday, have been called into question by section six, which was added late in the evening and not debated until Thursday.
“The No. 1 concern for us is how the international community is going to react to this,” Chris Hawley, the spokesman, told globeandmail.com. “Canadian Anglicans don't want to be set adrift in the Anglican Communion.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury welcomed Wednesday's decision to defer the decision on same-sex blessings. His statement did not mention the amendment that passed later.
“The decision ... offers hope for the continuing collegiality of the Anglican Communion,” Dr. Williams said in a message posted on his Web site. “It is important that the Canadian church has held back from a structural shift that would have run counter to the pleas and wishes of the primates' meeting last autumn and of so many around the Communion.”
Anglican unity was cited as a reason to spurn the motion originally tabled, which would have allowed each diocese could decide for itself whether to offer to bless same-sex couples. But the new primate of the Canadian church, Andrew Hutchison, said this week that unity, while important, should not be a goal in and of itself.
Wednesday's last-minute measure was introduced by Canon Garth Bulmer from the Ottawa diocese. Rev. Dennis Drainville of the Quebec diocese, who seconded the motion, told delegates that the church needs to express compassion.
“This says to thousands of people that we love you, we include you among the faithful, we seek to live with you, to work with you, to know you,” he said, according to Canadian Press.
But Mr. Hawley said that the issue is bigger than the Canadian church and could drive a wedge into the global body of Anglicans, already deeply divided over homosexuality. He said that his group almost immediately began to receive messages from outside of Canada by Anglicans who have heard about Thursday's decision and are upset.
In spite of their spiritual connections, Anglican churches around the world operate autonomously.
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