Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Diocese of Saskatoon - a step closer to same sex blessings?

Last weekend, the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon voted - narrowly - to ask their bishop to authorize the blessing of same sex unions, but only once the national church has lifted the implicit moratorium. The motion apparently carried by one vote among the clergy with six abstentions, and by one vote among the laity with one abstention. CBC coverage of the story is here. As of this writing, there is nothing on the diocesan website. Integrity Saskatoon comments here. The bishop has apparently declined either to assent or to withold his assent until at least the next meeting of the House of Bishops. This all follows a vote at a previous synod in which blessings were narrowly defeated.

Saskatoon is the not the first diocese in Canada to pass such a motion. Blessings are already a fact of life in the dioceses of New Westminster (Vancouver and area) and Niagara (Hamilton and area). The Archbishop of Toronto has just given his approval. The dioceses of Montreal, Ottawa and British Columbia (Vancouver Island) have all passed similar motions.

2 comments:

Paddy said...

I have a hard time believing that in 30 or 40 years time folk won't look back at the current church furore about homosexuality & view it in much the same way we view the debate over slavery.

Malcolm+ said...

Well, it may take more than 30 or 40 years, but I expect that you're absolutely right.