In 2007, the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada decided that blessing same sex unions is consistent with the core doctrine of The Anglican Church of Canada. I’m not sure I could present a convincing argument against that: the core doctrine of the ACoC meandered away from Biblical truth a few decades ago, so embracing something explicitly forbidden in the Bible fit’s quite comfortably within the increasingly porous confines of what passes for core doctrine in the ACoC.
Still, resolution A186 provoked considerable debate, much of it bitter. As a result, the 2010 General Synod, rather than restarting the debate on same-sex unions and their place within the ACoC, came up instead with a sexuality discernment statement. In seven paragraphs, it manages to use “conversations” six times, “dialogue” six times, “discernment” six times, “diverse” and its variations four times and “transparency” twice; “Christ” was mentioned twice as well, but I expect that was an oversight. “Sex”, ostensibly what the document was about, was mentioned just once, thus confirming the obvious: the statement was prophetic propaganda from the ACoC’s department of missional disinformation. It was designed to obfuscate and divert attention away from the issue.
The 2013 General Synod unravelled much of the sterling work of its predecessor. Resolution C003 asked the Council of General Synod to go a significant step further than same-sex blessings and “prepare and present a motion at General Synod 2016 to change Canon XXI on Marriage to allow the marriage of same sex couples” (my emphasis).
At the recent COGS meeting, Fred Hiltz said:
When Resolution C003 passed, “the truce was broken and once again we find ourselves in the midst of chaos,” Hiltz quoted these bishops as having said.
The chaos was always there even though the 2010 GS tried to pretend otherwise; a few members of COGS, heads firmly in the sand, wish to return to the halcyon days of 2010 Anglican fence-sitting:
[s]ome wondered whether there was a way to “come up with a neutral recommendation” at General Synod.
Like it or not, same-sex marriage is coming to the Anglican Church of Canada eventually. There are only two ways of stopping it: the ACoC ceases to exist before it summons the backbone to announce a decision or God decides it is worth saving after all and brings repentance to its clergy.
This is just further proof that the ACoC has jumped over the cliff into apostasy and has clearly shown it is no longer a Christian church. When you reject either or both the authority of Scripture and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ you descend into the pit of so-called “political correctness”. The time has long since past for so-called bishops to adhere to the vows made at both their ordination and consecration and to understand they are supposed to be “chief shepherds” and not ravenous wolves.
I have to wonder any of this will even be thought of…
http://www.lambethconference.org/resolutions/1998/1998-1-10.cfm
Most likely it will be completely ignored. Again.
Perhaps false beliefs in the church are testing the limits of the patience of God. Let us look at the history of Israel. The Jewish people had sinned repeatedly, and God had disciplined them repeatedly. Israel’s history is the story of Israel’s faithlessness and unbelief. It is also the story of God’s mercy and patience. Unfortunately, few Jews believe in Jesus today.
Perhaps this is because we no longer recite this, the 3rd Collect for Good Friday, within most churches:
“O MERCIFUL God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor desirest* the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; Have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics; and take from them† all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.”
But of course this is why…
http://www.diohuron.org/what/HR/policies/section1/1-11%20Good%20Friday.pdf
It seems a strange thing that it was 1964 when the ACoC attained is greatest membership, and has persistently declined since.