Gay marriage anglican
Church of England says a ‘profound disagreement’ remains on homosexuality
LONDON — The Church of England’s governing body will debate adopting fresh commitments on homosexuality and same-sex couples when it meets later this month, it said on Friday, acknowledging that there remained “profound disagreement” on the matter.
The Church of England — central to the Anglican Communion of 85 million believers across the world — does not allow same-sex marriage, standing by its instruction that marriage is between a man and a woman.
However, the centuries-old institution has been wrestling with ways to make people in the LGBTQ society feel more inclusive in its churches, and it has apologized for the “hostile and homophobic response” some had faced.
The Synod, which consists of bishops, clergy and lay members, last November narrowly voted to back special services to bless same-sex couples on a trial basis, although Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby — spiritual leader of the Anglican church — abstained from that vote.
“Synod has position a clear direction for us to move forward, but the
A recent poll conducted by The Times of London indicates that a majority of Church of England clergy now favor gay marriage. The figures ( percent in favor, percent opposed) show a significant change from Back then, in the aftermath of the legalization of gay civil marriage in the U.K., only 39 percent were in favor and 51 percent were opposed. There are numerous lessons here.
First, the old battle lines between conservative and liberal Christians have changed. In the past, it was the affirmation or denial of the supernatural claims of the Bible, supremely that of Jesus’s bodily resurrection, that divided churches. Today, it is questions of morality, specifically sexual morality, that are the points of contention. And these are of more significance for the broader life of the church within society. To affirm the resurrection might own made you look love a benighted fool, but societies generally tolerate benighted fools. To oppose our current Western cultural regime, where sexual identity is key to personal value, is to deny the humanity of fellow citizens. The world sees that a
What’s going on? This is the questions that I contain been asked day and time again this week as news of the split within the Australian Anglican Church reached Anglicans and non-Anglicans alike. The creation of the Diocese of the Southern Cross, led by those that oppose the blessing of same-sex marriages, has caused confusion and distress across the Church and beyond.
Let me define its complicated backstory, and perhaps dispel some of the confusion — if not the distress.
Divisions over same-sex marriage
Earlier this year I was part of the editorial committee for the revision of the Principles of Canon Regulation Common to the Churches of the Anglican Communion. Now in its second edition, the Principles have been described as a fifth “instrument of unity” in the Anglican Communion. However, despite their best endeavors the committee were unable to uncover a common doctrine in relation to who may unite whom. The committee therefore took the unusual step of inserting a expression on their reasoning for the removal of the rule from the revision. The statement reads:
As stated in the
Sexuality and Identity: A Pastoral Expression from the College of Bishops
January
Preamble
The Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) offer this pastoral statement to the Church after prayer, explore, careful listening to disparate voices, and a collaborative process involving contributions from across the Province. As a result of this process, we have become even more acutely aware of the power we all need to live faithfully in Jesus Christ as He redeems the whole of our identity, including our sexuality.
The College of Bishops asked for the formation of this statement in January of after we heard reports of varied application among ACNA leaders regarding the use of language about sexual identity, especially within provincial events. We recognize there are a multiplicity of realities in our current national, political, and global circumstances into which an episcopal voice could be presented. In the midst of this tragic pandemic, we desire to endure to minister the Gospel into all aspects of our ordinary life that have been distorted by sin such as racism, p