Motion to change marriage canon fails

The motion to change the marriage canon to allow the marriage of same-sex couples has failed to pass. To pass, the vote had to have a 2/3 majority for laity, clergy and bishops. It was very close and, interestingly, in spite of the bishops declaring they would not have the necessary majority – they did; it was the clergy that prevented the motion passing.

The numbers were (66.7% needed in each category for it to pass):

Bishops Yes: 68.2%
Clergy Yes: 66.23%
Laity Yes: 72.2%

15 thoughts on “Motion to change marriage canon fails

  1. I was surprised by this result. But the margin by which it did not pass was fractional. And the Primate, whose position I do not envy, indicated that the same motion can be brought back again next year, which it will. It did not pass tonight. But the reprieve, if it can be called that, is a fragile and weak one. There will be civil disobedience, supported by the bishops. And the next time, it will pass. But it provides another year for those who have seen the writing on the wall to plan their exit strategies. And so the numbers are certain to look different next time around. Unless there are lots of folks out there with more hope and courage than I can claim.

  2. The vote was so close, those of us who oppose SSM can hardly take comfort — the inevitable has merely been delayed. And I’m afraid that the ACC may well become an even more inhospitable place for orthodox believers. Would it not have been better for there to have been a clear Yes vote (which I actually believe this was) and for conservatives to leave? This is a slow death.

    • There has never been “heterosexual marriage”. Marriage is rooted in biology — male and female. The institution of marriage has always been open to all, regardless of sexual orientation.

      • Marriage has always been open to all opposite sex couples, i.e. One man and one woman, barring certain close family relations. Please also note that Christian marriage has been between 2 people only, not 3, 4 or 7. I don’t know what you mean to say when you write that marriage is open to all regardless of sexual orientation. There has never been any evidence of same sex Christian marriage unless you are referring to the Lost Gospel of Liberace, a book not usually included in the canon of Scripture.

        • Marriage between a man and a woman is open to all regardless of sexual orientation. Not all are open to it. The problem is not with the institution of marriage.

  3. Dave, did you get the exact number of votes in each order?

    Second. Am I correct, the vote has to get 2/3 majority, in all three houses, in two consequtive Synods?

    • Yes:
      bishops 98.42 yes, 31.58 no
      clergy: 51 yes, 26 no
      laity: 78 yes, 30 no

      I don’t know what 0.42 (or 0.58) of a bishop is but those were the numbers posted.

      Second, yes, that is my understanding.

  4. Any vote on matters which are clearly opposed to the authority of Scripture should be completely rejected. The authority of God’s word should never be subject to any vote by any genuine Christian church. The problem with the ACoC is that it is ruled by apostates who are more concerned with looking “good” to the LGBTQ group rather than leading them to the Gospel. Genuine Christians within the ACoC should immediately refuse to make ANY contributions and direct their donations to genuine Christian organizations. The apostate primate and his apostate colleagues should do the honourable thing and resign.

  5. The entire process resembles a bit the process of civil same-sex marriages…it will be done diocese by diocese, until the standing cannon is pragmatically dead . This is a watershed moment for the ACC, they have the choice of moving forward or jumping into irrelevance, in a country that is highly secular and where religious institutions are increasingly isolated from society

    • I believe your comment requires clarification as it could be interpreted in different ways. Civil law is definitely NOT subject to the authority of Scripture but any decision made by ANY church claiming to be Christian must indeed accept that authority. From the reports it is obvious that many so-called bishops are proving to be apostate and should be removed from office. By the actions of the apostates within the ACoC they are proving from a Christian standpoint to be irrelevant. The authority of Scripture can never be subjected to any vote – remember the wide road and the narrow road.

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