Commission offers rationale for same-sex marriage
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article38872
- Author
- Folkins, Tali
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2015 November
- Author
- Folkins, Tali
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2015 November
- Volume
- 141
- Issue
- 9
- Page
- 1, 6
- Notes
- "The church may want to look at same-sex marriages as partaking 'in the same covenant' as heterosexual unions, but 'one somewhat different terms', and possibly invoking alternate liturgies, recommends the [65-page] report of the Commission on the Marriage Canon, released September 22 [2015] (http://bit.ly/livbKrq). Just as the New Testament describes Gentiles in the early church as drawn into the people of Israel's covenant with God, but not required to observe Jewish tradition, so might the Anglican Church of Canada understand same-sex couples as drawn into the same covenant as heterosexual couples, but in a new way, commission member Stephen Martin told members of the Council of General Synod (CoGS), who gathered for a special session September 22-23 [2015] at St. Paul's Bloor Street, in Toronto, to receive the report" (p. 1). Commission member, Canon Paul "Jennings added: 'Maybe God is intending to graft gay marriage into the institution of Christian marriage, sharing its root meaning, yet on somewhat different terms'. .... [This model] is, he added, one of three 'logical possibilities' being put forward by the commission, and something of a middle way between the other two. The other two possibilities, according to the report, are on the other hand, to see same-sex marriage as an 'undifferentiated' form of Christian marriage, essentially identical to heterosexual marriages; and, on the other, to see see them as 'blessed partnerships' rather than covenants before God" (p. 6). "In its report, the commission concluded that changing the marriage canon to allow for same-sex unions does not directly contravene the Solemn Declaration of 1893, which reflects the Anglican Church of Canada's historic roots in the Church of England and its 'theological and doctrinal heritage'" (p. 6). "In its report, the commission also drafted a motion that includes a provision allowing dioceses, bishops and congregations to opt out of performing same-sex marriages. Along with formulating the biblical and theological rationale for allowing same-sex marriages, the commission was charged with developing a 'conscience clause' ..." (p. 6). "The commission's work included a consultation process, in which it invited opinions on the issue. It received a total of 223 submissions from individuals representing 26 dioceses, two from theological colleges, three from specialists, three from full communion and ecumenical partners, and six from institutions and organizations. Several submitters argued against allowing same-sex marriages, although whether to allow them or not was beyond the commission's mandate.
- The membership of the commission: Lay Canon Robert Falby (chair) who died June 2015, Patricia Bays, the Rev. Paul Friesen, Canon Paul Jennings, Stephen Martin, Bishop Linda Nicholls and Archbishop John Privett.
- Subjects
- Anglican Church of Canada. Commission on the Marriage Canon
- Same sex unions - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Marriage - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Marriage (Canon law) - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada. General Synod. Constitution. Canon XXI
- Conscience clause - Anglican Church of Canada