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The Anglican Diocese of Montreal is going down the same treacherous path as the Diocese of Ottawa.
At its synod meeting ten days from now, the Diocese of Ottawa will consider a motion requesting the bishop to allow same-sex blessings (SSBs). Now it emerges that the Diocese of Montreal will consider an almost identical motion at its synod meeting a week later.
Those motions will come forward despite the fact that General Synod rejected a motion to allow SSBs in the Anglican Church of Canada.
The text of Montreal’s proposed motion can be found on the very last page of the Motions, Memorials and Petitions section of the Convening Circular.
Be it resolved that this Synod request that the Bishop grant permission for clergy, whose conscience permits, to bless duly solemnized and registered civil marriages, including marriages between same-sex couples, where at least one party is baptized; and that the Bishop authorize an appropriate rite and make regulations for its use in supportive parishes.
A related story on page 1 of the October issue of the diocesan newspaper, Montreal Anglican, fails to explain why the instigators feel free to offer a motion in apparent contradiction with the General Synod vote. It does include this interesting tidbit, however.
One diocesan official said he understands several other diocesan synods will be considering similar motions this fall. One reason is to try to head off a tendency for clergy favourable to gay marriage to react to the Winnipeg [General Synod] decision by blessing same-sex couples on their own anyway, without supervision by their bishops.
Let me get this straight. In order to prevent priests from offering SSBs behind the bishop’s back, a motion challenging a General Synod decision will be presented. Shouldn’t Montreal Synod first pass a motion repudiating General Synod’s authority as the Anglican Church of Canada’s highest decision-making body?
Moreover, that “reason” contains an implied threat. If the motion is voted down, renegade priests could act behind the bishop’s back regardless.
To top it off, the unnamed “diocesan official” suggests connivance among Anglican pro-homosexual activists to subvert General Synod’s decision on this issue.
Do these folks care whether the Anglican Church of Canada remains an accepted member of the Anglican Communion?
h/t: Anglican Network in Canada Newsletter, 1 October
Cross-posted at Anglican Essentials Canada Blog.
Previous related posts:
With all due respect, I have seen much written about the motions passed at General Synod this morning. And I think it’s incorrect to say that “General Synod rejected a motion to allow SSBs in the Anglican Church of Canada.”
The motion was not whether GS approved or disapproved of SSB, but whether it affirmed (i.e. recognized) the authority and jurisdiction of diocesan synods.
That said, I have also seen the canonical interpretation that since SSBs are not a matter of core doctrine (as determined by A186) that it is no longer in the canonical power of General Synod to either allow or block SSBs. I don’t know enough to agree or disagree with that position, but I have seen some people who I believe to be knowledgeable about canons make that argument.
This is the text of the rejected motion, A187:
So, General Synod rejected the authority of diocesan synods to authorise SSBs. Sounds like a rejection of SSBs to me.
Be that as it may, GS clearly denied the authority of diocesan synods in this matter. Montreal and Ottawa are about to consider motions contradicting that rejection.
Your further argument that approval of A186 renders A187 moot makes General Synod sound rather stupid. In passing motion A186, GS removed its own power to reject SSBs and made A187 dead on arrival. Your argument implies that GS, in even entertaining A187, acted in a pointless and self-contradictory manner.
In any case, isn’t GS the supreme decision-making body of the Anglican Church of Canada? Where is it written that it cannot accept or reject motions pertaining to non-core (i.e., non-creedal) matters? If GS were to pass a motion saying that episcopal governance is not a matter of core doctrine, would that mean that GS could not prevent diocesan synods from enacting motions overturning governance by bishops?
Its very sad to see the Anglican Church sink deeper and deeper into sinful teachings. I pray that they return to the Word instead of secularism.
As I have said in the past – these are moves worthy of a Romulan!
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