Indigenous bishops reject same-sex marriage because of colonialism

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If this article is to be believed, the ACoC indigenous bishops are against same-sex marriage not because they believe it to be wrong but because it is an expression of “colonial oppression”.

That leaves the liberals in the unhappy position of having to decide who to oppress: their indigenous members or their LGBTetc members; normally they take the easy way out and just oppress their conservative members.

The Bible does offer some advice on all this, of course, but no-one in the ACoC seems particularly interested in reading it.

A group of Indigenous Anglican Bishops have released a statement agreeing with Eastern Newfoundland Bishop Geoff Peddle that their community is on a different page when it comes to marriage equality, but not for the reasons you might think. VOCM’s Andrew Hawthorn explains.

Gay Marriage isn’t an issue of right or wrong in indigenous communities. It’s an issue of colonial oppression.

That’s according to three indigenous Bishops who released the statement declaring commitment to ‘the traditional, spiritual, indigenous understanding of marriage’.

There are those on both sides of the issue who would say homosexuality was once treated one way or another by indigenous peoples, but the Bishops, expressing kinship and support of the LGBT community, point out as their culture was almost entirely erased, it is difficult to say what the traditional attitude really was.

For now they say the main issue is an old one; a European-based society dominating discussion in their own culture, a conversation they say indigenous people should reserve for themselves.

Bishop of Edmonton responds to same-sex marriage decision

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Jane Alexander reacts to the recent house of bishops meeting where the bishops announced that the same-sex marriage motion to come before General Synod 2016 will not have the necessary support from the bishops to pass.

Alexander is another liberal, so her comments below are no surprise.

We still have no statements from any of the conservative bishops who have said they will vote against the motion. Are they all shy?

From here:

March 2, 2016
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I have just returned to the diocese following a special meeting of the House of  Bishops and a meeting of the Provincial House of Bishops of Rupert’s Land prior to the consecration of William Cliff as Bishop of Brandon.
It is my hope that by now you will have had the opportunity to read the House of Bishops Statement (http://www.anglican.ca/news/statement-from-the-house-of-bishops-from-its-specialmeeting/30015170/) as well as the report of the Commission on the Marriage Canon ‘This Holy Estate’ (http://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/Marriage Canon REPORT 15Sept22.pdf).
As the 2016 meeting of General Synod draws nearer, there was an overwhelming feeling in the
House of Bishops that we should share with the Council of General Synod (CoGS) just where the Bishops are in their consideration of a change to the marriage canon. Our statement is our attempt to be honest about the position in which we find ourselves.
In this diocese, we have passed a motion that allows for the blessing of a civil marriage between two people regardless of gender. I fully stand by this decision of our synod, and feel that marriages between faithful Christians of the same gender can be seen as a sacrament and give glory to God. I apologize to those members of our community, LGBTQ and heterosexual, who have been hurt and confused by the Bishops issuing their statement. I want to tell you that it was not done with malice or in an attempt to stop us talking at General Synod. Rather, it was an effort to be open and honest about our conversations. We are often asked as a House of Bishops to comment on our discussions at our meetings, and this is our attempt to do so.
I will continue to try and do all in my power to be a symbol of unity in the Diocese of Edmonton, in the Anglican Church of Canada, and in the wider Anglican Communion. I am convinced that in the power of Jesus Christ we will find a way forward. I encourage all of us as brothers and sisters in the body of Christ to continue in prayer and fellowship and to seek the will of God. It is my deepest prayer that we may all be one as Jesus and the Father are one (John 17).
Yours in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Jane Alexander
Bishop of Edmonton

 

Squabbling bishops

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It appears that Anglican Church of Canada bishops are having a difficult time keeping their stories straight on exactly what happened at the recent House of Bishops Meeting.

In Anglican-speak, this is called walking together.

From here:

The head of the Anglican Church of Canada says a bishop in eastern Newfoundland has made inaccurate statements about the church’s internal debate over the blessing of same-sex marriages.

Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, primate of the Canadian wing of the church, is challenging Bishop Geoff Peddle’s assertion that the church is unlikely to allow the practice because indigenous bishops and the people they represent are opposed to the idea.

Peddle’s comments were made earlier this week during an interview broadcast across Newfoundland and Labrador by radio station VOCM.

He could not be reached for comment today.

Hiltz says the church’s 45 bishops in Canada have made it clear they are unlikely to reach the two-thirds consensus needed to change the church’s rules at its next General Synod in July.

However, Hiltz stressed that it would be inaccurate to suggest that the church’s three indigenous bishops are largely responsible for that position, saying there are plenty of non-indigenous bishops who also hold conservative views.

Canadian Bishops back down from same-sex marriage for fear of punishment

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According to Michael Bird, some of the bishops who favour same-sex marriage will vote against it to avoid suffering the same sanctions as TEC. A vote rooted more in pusillanimity than principle.

From here:

birdInterestingly, the reasons are not purely theological. Bird told me some bishops reject same-sex marriage on a Biblical basis while others, including himself, interpret scripture differently.

However, many bishops were worried the Canadian Anglican church would be punished if it stepped with the times. It is not divine punishment they fear, but the fist of Canterbury, the heart of the church where its leader, the Archbishop, resides.

“There are many bishops who don’t have a problem with same-sex marriage, but we were told that if we changed the definition of marriage it would negatively impact our relationships with other denominations and within of the Anglican church itself,” Bird said.

For Anglican priests, this is not an unreasonable concern. The American Anglican church defied Canterbury and elected to allow same-sex marriage last year. In January, ranking church officials voted to effectively expel the American church from the Anglican ranks for three years. This means, among other things, American Anglicans cannot vote on church policy at Canterbury. They may be Anglicans in name, but their voices will not decide the future direction of the church internationally.

Canadian bishops evidently fear a similar consequence.

Anglican Bishops in a 3-way

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On same sex-marriage, the ACoC bishops fall into one of the following categories: No, Yes and Maybe.

Fred Hiltz thinks – as does Justin Welby – that the three can co-exist, walk together to use Anglican jargon. They can’t for one simple reason: liberals will not stop promoting their same-sex marriage agenda – ever; not until they have their way.

Once again the “spirit” – not, I am quite sure, the Holy Spirit – is invoked to legitimise what for 2000 years the church has deemed illegitimate. How could this not be the spirit of the age?

Read it all here:

When it comes to allowing same-sex marriage, the bishops seem to be thinking “yes,” “no” and “maybe” in roughly equal proportions, Hiltz said. A number of bishops in the Canadian church also have a “holy desire” to consider alternatives to a simple yes-no vote on same-sex marriages, he said. Some have given considerable thought to other alternatives, and these are likely to be the main topic of conversation when the House of Bishops next meets in April, he added.

The article makes perfectly it clear, once again, that the main preoccupation of Western Anglican bishops is sex – just like everyone else. The comical thing about this is that the bishops genuinely seem to believe it will garner the world’s approval when all it does is heap well deserved derision on an institution that tries to do what everyone else does but ends up doing it with less panache.

Anglicans to dwell in caves

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Japanese Anglicans want to ban generating electricity using nuclear power.

From here:

On the fifth anniversary of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake of 11 March 2011, the Anglican Church in Japan is reissuing its call for a world without nuclear power plants.

The earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused devastation – claiming 15,893 lives, with 2,572 still missing – and triggered a nuclear disaster, with meltdowns in three reactors at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

A 20km area around the power plant remains off limits due to contamination – and residents outside the exclusion zone are living in fear of radiation poisoning.

Having worked with survivors of the disaster, the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (NSKK, Anglican Church in Japan) is calling on the Anglican Communion to join its call to put a stop to nuclear power.

Anglicans everywhere else want to ban generating electricity using fossil fuels.

The most troubling aspect of all this is: with only useless windmills and solar power at his disposal, how is Fred Hiltz going to ignite the leaves for his mandatory monthly smudging ceremony?

Bishop John Chapman reacts to retreat from same-sex marriage

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The bishop of Ottawa expressed his mortification at the decision from the recent House of Bishops’ meeting not to support same-sex marriage.

He has issued a statement in which he rather smugly congratulates himself and his diocese for being consummately inclusive while at the same time lauding same-sex couples whose “marriage is an exclusive loving commitment”. Odd, really: if unrestrained inclusion is good enough for the bishop and his diocese why isn’t it good enough for same-sex couples?

So far, two liberal bishops – Chapman and Bird – have wailed, gnashed their teeth and profusely apologised for this decision; I wonder why we haven’t heard from any conservative bishops?

From here:

My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Undoubtedly you have now heard about the House of Bishops statement, which is to be presented at the upcoming Council of General Synod (CoGS) – a body which functions as General Synod between General Synods, not unlike our Diocesan Council.

The House of Bishop’s statement recognizes the near impossibility of attaining a two-thirds majority that would support revising the marriage canon to allow for same gendered couples to be married in our churches. A two-thirds majority is canonical requirement to change or alter doctrine. The bishops felt that CoGS ought to be notified of this apparent reality rather than be caught by surprise. I agree – the more transparent we are the better it is for the communities of faith we serve. I think it would be disrespectful to keep this knowledge hidden. However, please know that the motion will be placed before General Synod. The bishop’s statement was not an attempt to thwart due process but an attempt to be forthright and honest. The motion will be placed before General Synod assembly.

You can well imagine that I was one of those present who was “mortified”. One judges the fullness of a decision, activity or sacrament in the name of Jesus by its fruit. If a same gendered marriage is rooted in self giving love; if this marriage is an exclusive loving commitment one to the other in good times and bad until death; if this marriage is joining of families together as one, and if this same gendered marriage is embraced as a sacred covenant between two individuals and God; then it is a holy marriage before God. Needless to say, this is not shared by two-thirds of the House of Bishops. Yet, my assumption is that a very significant majority of people in the Diocese of Ottawa would affirm same gendered holy marriage solemnized through the liturgies of our Church.

I want to extend my deep apology to all those who are feeling discouraged, angry, betrayed, and hurt. I especially want to apologize to the LGTBQ community. Many of us did our very best to ensure that your voice was heard, understood, respected, and honoured at the recent House meeting. We were unsuccessful, and for that I am so sorry!

The mystery of the Incarnate Christ is indeed that – a mystery. We wrestle and struggle with what it means for us to be faithful to Jesus. The Church is naturally not a tidy place. While I too am deeply unhappy with the House of Bishop’s lack of clarity on this matter, I will continue on in prayer, debate, and witness to what I believe to be an appropriate position. That is, all people regardless of gender are welcome to share in the sacrament of holy matrimony. I encourage all those who share my disappointment, as well as those who are pleased with the statement, to also continue in prayer, debate, and witness.

The Diocese of Ottawa has typically extended an inclusive hand to all people. We were among the first dioceses to openly support the right of divorced persons to remarry in the church, to welcome women to the sacred office of deacon, priest and bishop in Christ’s Church, and to extend the courtesy to all gay and lesbian peoples to have their civil marriages blessed in the church. May I suggest that we continue down this path of hospitality and inclusion and, even in the midst of our disappointment, go forward to our upcoming General Synod advocating for a revised marriage canon that would allow for same gendered marriage in our Church. This is what we do! We do not walk away discouraged and leave others behind to carry on. We witness together accepting the differences that exist between us and pray for God’s constant presence, guidance, and comfort.

Please pray for all who are affected by this statement and please pray for our upcoming General Synod and the Diocese of Ottawa.

Yours in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. John H. Chapman,
9th Bishop of Ottawa

And here:

“I want to extend my deep apology to all those who are feeling discouraged, angry, betrayed, and hurt. I especially want to apologize to the LGTBQ community. Many of us did our very best to ensure that your voice was heard, understood, respected, and honoured at the recent House meeting. We were unsuccessful, and for that I am so sorry!”

-The Rt. Rev. John H. Chapman
Bishop of Ottawa

The Anglican Church of Canada starts wobbling on the Marriage Canon decision

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Although the Canadian house of bishops have tried to squash a resolution to change the marriage canon to allow same-sex couples to marry, it seems it yet lives. From this communique, it is clear that liberals in the ACoC have not given up.

Michael Thompson, General Secretary of the General Synod, spoke to any possible confusion about the responsibility of the CoGS to forward a resolution for the consideration of General Synod. “C003 was clear in requiring that a resolution proposing a change to the Marriage Canon to accommodate same-sex marriage be placed before General Synod in 2016. CoGS established a commission – chaired by the late Canon Robert Falby – to bring a report to the church. The Council of General Synod has received the report, This Holy Estate. It includes a draft resolution, the text of which will be reviewed by the Council of General Synod at its meeting that begins next Thursday, March 10.”

Dean Peter Wall of the Diocese of Niagara, co-chair of the Planning and Agenda Team for the Council, noted that he is asking members of the Planning and Agenda team to convene by teleconference to develop a process by which CoGS might engage the communication from the House of Bishops. In his additional role as Chair of the General Synod Planning Committee, Wall also affirmed that all the members of the General Synod, including the Order of Bishops, will be asked to listen to one another with care in preparing to address the resolution. “I do not believe that the work of the General Synod can be pre-empted by a meeting of the House of Bishops alone. It is when they meet as the Order of Bishops, in conversation with the Orders of Clergy and Laity, that bishops participate in the shared responsibility of all members of the General Synod to take a decision on this matter.”

 

Bishop Michael Bird responds to Marriage Canon decision

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The Canadian House of Bishops cannot muster the 2/3rds majority it would need to pass a motion to change the marriage canon to accommodate same-sex couples. Here is the reaction from the liberal Diocese of Niagara’s Michael Bird. Interestingly, he notes that “many” of the bishops did not agree with the amendment.

TO THE CLERGY AND PEOPLE OF THE DIOCESE OF NIAGARA

My dear friends:

It is with deep sadness and regret that I write this letter to you today. As you know we in Niagara have and continue to work very hard to give life and bear faithful witness to our baptismal promise that calls us to “seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being.” This past week the Canadian House of Bishops has just concluded a special meeting on proposed changes to our national Marriage Canon, changes that I personally believe seek to uphold this sacred dignity in the sacrament of marriage for those who identify as LGBTQ2.

It is apparent, however, that many of my fellow bishops cannot support the proposal at this time, as indicated by this declaration: “In our exploration of these differences it became clear to us that the draft resolution to change the Marriage Canon to accommodate the marriage of same-sex partners is not likely to pass in the Order of Bishops by the canonical requirement of a 2/3rds majority in each Order.”

While I believe this assessment to be true, I know how disturbing this will be for so many in our diocese and beyond. I want to say how deeply sorry I am that this is the case and my heart aches for all who continue to be wounded by the words and actions of our Church. I am one of the bishops at this meeting who was, as a statement by the House of Bishops puts it, “mortified and devastated by this realisation.”

I take heart in the commitment by the House of Bishops to “explore other options for honouring and fully embracing covenanted, faithful same-sex relationships.” Over the coming months I intend to prayerfully explore what that might mean for all of us in Niagara. I know that your voices and those representing Canadian Anglicans at General Synod will offer important insights about where the Spirit is leading us at this moment in the life of our Church.

As your bishop I will continue to do all in my power to seek and bear witness to the transformational power of God’s inclusive love so that the dream of equal marriage will be realized. Please remember those impacted by this news in your prayers along with those who will participate in General