No Blessing Of Same-Sex Unions In Canada

From Canada.com

TORONTO (CP) - Canadian Anglican bishops issued a pastoral statement Tuesday that essentially rejects the blessing of same-sex unions but acknowledges there will be further votes on the matter when the church's governing body meets next month.

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"Not all bishops can conceive of condoning or blessing same-sex unions," the statement said. Feheley said there are 41 active bishops in Canada and a "substantial majority" voted for the statement.

The bishops say they recognize that the provisions of the statement are less than a blessing of same-sex unions or marriage.

But they add that it is "a Gospel imperative to pray with the whole people of God, no matter their circumstance."

For example, the statement suggests a parish, with its bishop's knowledge and permission, could pray with a civilly married gay or lesbian couple that wants recognition of their union and celebrate a eucharist with the couple.

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Also, "we hope no baptized Christian will be denied communion or confirmation because of being in a committed homosexual relationship or because of their marital status."

The bishops say the ministry of gay and lesbian clergy in the church is "deeply valued and appreciated."

"We acknowledge the pain and conflict that many of you live with daily in your ministry in Christ."

Gay and lesbian couples, along with their children, are fit for Baptism and Communion, but not for a nuptual blessing. However, they can have prayers and a Eucharist, if the bishop permits. Is this truly a step forward? Perhaps, but the logic here escapes me. I am pleased that the bishops acknowledge "a Gospel imperative to pray with the whole people of God, no matter their circumstance."

And from the Anglican Journal, we see the result of the bishops' statement for Shawn Sanford Beck:

Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck, an Anglican priest in the diocese of Saskatoon who recently declared that he intends to marry gay couples if asked and who was asked by his bishop to reconsider his position by March 31 or risk losing his license to minister, has resigned his position.

“To my knowledge, the Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck has not presided at a same-sex blessing or a same-sex marriage. Accordingly, I issued Shawn a short-term licence effective April 1, 2007. Shawn has chosen not to accept licensing and has returned the licence to me,” said Bishop Rodney Andrews in a statement. “He has subsequently resigned his position with the Saskatoon Native Ministry.”

In the absence of a licence from the bishop, Mr. Sanford Beck is now considered “On leave without permission to officiate,” said Bishop Andrews.

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In an open letter, Mr. Sanford Beck said the church’s ban on same-sex marriages and blessings “is theologically problematic and fundamentally unjust.”

You may wonder why I, a humble Episcopalian in the pew in south Louisiana, write about this? It's been taken up and written about by my betters. I write because I think this is a lame response by the Anglican bishops of Canada, and because I hate that the ministry loses Shawn, who appears to be a good man and a good priest. I have been praying for him and his wife Janice since their story first came to light. I pray that this good man finds his way back to service in the ministry.

I write because I hope that the bishops of the Episcopal Church will take a different approach. What are the chances that they will? Slim, I'd say. Perhaps they will not even go as far as the Canadian bishops.

What I'd really like to see is for the church to get out of the marriage business altogether. The clerics inserted themselves into the process rather late in Christian history. Let the civil authorities handle it, and if the couple wants prayers afterwards, then the church can do that. That would settle one major controversy within the church.