Canadian Anglicans defer decision on same-sex unions issue

      Instead of voting on a potentially divisive resolution at the
once-every-three-years meeting of its general synod, the church adopted a
statement acknowledging it was, “not prepared to make a legislative
decision” that would apply to all 30 dioceses of the Canadian church.
      Currently, four Anglican dioceses in Canada allow the blessing of same-sex
couples.
      The national church’s statement came after several days of “discernment”
sessions on human sexuality, when the more-than-300 synod delegates broke
into groups each of about 20 people to discuss sexuality and same-sex
blessings.
      The discussions were modeled on what organizers described as a traditional
African manner called indaba, a Zulu term for a process of consensual
decision making. The indaba method was adopted to avoid a repeat of what
were seen as earlier polarizing debates.
      The Canadian statement acknowledges, “the pain that our diversity in this
matter causes,” and called for, “continued theological and scriptural study
and dialogue on the wide range of matters relating to human sexuality”.
      It added, “This is not just an ‘issue’ but is about people’s daily lives and
deeply held faith commitments. For some, even this statement represents a
risk. For some, the statement does not go nearly far enough.”
      At a news conference after the synod, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, national
archbishop of the Anglican Church of Canada, said the adoption of the
statement was a, “watershed moment” for the church.
      “We are no longer demonising one another,” Hiltz was quoted as saying in the
Anglican Journal newspaper. “We are regarding one another differently . more
patiently, more graciously.”
      The synod met from June 3-11 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and also passed a
resolution deploring any laws calling for punishment for homosexuals, and
encouraging its partners in jurisdictions with such legislation to do the
same.
      The role of gays and lesbians in the church has divided the Anglican
Communion, a grouping of 44 different churches representing about 80 million
Christians around the globe.
      In a May Pentecost letter, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the
communion’s spiritual leader, announced plans to impose sanctions on
Anglican provinces that breach moratoria on same-sex unions and the
consecration of gay bishops.