Tag Archives: same-sex marriage

The Anglican Church of Canada self-destructs over 0.1%

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According to Statistics Canada there are 45,345 same-sex couples in Canada and about 7,500 of them are married – 0.1% of all married couples. 37,900 are same-sex common-law couples.

Heretical ideas have been allowed to roam unchecked in the Anglican Church of Canada for decades, but it was the blessing of same-sex couples that was the last straw that finally drove many orthodox parishes to separate from their dioceses.

The Anglican Church of Canada likes to claim that this is a “justice” issue; but is it really – the church has torn itself apart for the sake of 0.1% of married couples?

I am convinced that the percentage of same-sex partnered priests in the ACoC is higher – far higher – than the national average. The real reason for the church’s obsession with blessing same-sex couples is self-interest on the part of homosexual Anglican priests: they refuse to mend their ways and they seek justification for not doing so.

Here is a graphic from the CBC:

 

 

 

Rowan Williams is the only Anglican left who still remembers the “moratoria”

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For those who wish to brave the fog of  the Windsor Continuation Group Report and peruse the moratoria, they can be found here.

In summary, “gracious restraint” (a phrase subsequently mangled into meaninglessness) was asked for:

  • Consecration of Bishops living in a same gender union
  • Permission for Rites of Blessing for Same Sex unions
  • Interventions in Provinces

Since the forming of ACNA and ANiC, no further “interventions” have occurred, so that leaves the other two – which have never stopped occurring.

This has led Rowan Williams to have an Advent Moan:

These questions are made all the more sharp by the fact that the repeated requests for moratoria on problematic actions issued by various representative Anglican bodies are increasingly ignored.  Strong conscientious convictions are involved here.  No-one, I believe, acts out of a desire to deepen disunity; some believe that certain matters are more important than what they think of as a superficial unity.  But the effects are often to deepen mutual mistrust, and this must surely be bad for our mission together as Anglicans, and alongside other Christians as well.  The question remains: if the moratoria are ignored and the Covenant suspected, what are the means by which we maintain some theological coherence as a Communion and some personal respect and understanding as a fellowship of people seeking to serve Christ?  And we should bear in mind that our coherence as a Communion is also a significant concern in relation to other Christian bodies – especially at a moment when the renewed dialogues with Roman Catholics and Orthodox have begun with great enthusiasm and a very constructive spirit.

The fact is that the North American Anglican Provinces aren’t interested in theological coherence, are continuing to press ahead with same sex blessings – full blown marriage to follow shortly – the ordaining of actively homosexual clergy and the legalised persecution of those who refuse to go along with them. The word “moratorium” is never mentioned.

It’s hard to take Rowan Williams’ complaining about everyone ignoring the moratoria too seriously, when he himself not only welcomes Bishop Michael Ingham, who has a same-sex partnered Dean and continues to bless same sex marriages, to Lambeth for a pally chat, but offers to look for a replacement priest for St. John’s Shaughnessy on Ingham’s behalf.

Anglican clergyman agues for civil same-sex marriage before Australian parliament

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The very Reverend Peter Catt reckons that same sex marriage doesn’t impinge on marriage at all, even though it unavoidably changes the Biblical definition of marriage from a divinely established covenant between a man and a woman to something arbitrary and man-made. Rev. Peter Catt is Dean of St. John’s Cathedral, so perhaps he hasn’t been able to find the time to read the Bible.

From here:

THE Anglican Church of Australia’s Very Reverend Peter Catt says a same-sex marriage Bill would not deny or denigrate the legitimacy of marriage.

Addressing the parliamentary hearing on same-sex marriage on behalf of the church’s social responsibilities committee, Dr Catt said civil unions instead extended the liberties of same or opposite-sex couples.

“I really don’t see that this impinges on marriage at all,” he said.

He said children were better off in a relationship with good values, which included gay couples, and said bad marriages actually did more to undermine the institution of marriage.

Lobster loving Anglicans

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From here:

Jesus looked at the book of Leviticus—a confusing tangle of ancient legal codes and taboos, mixing primitive superstitions together with enduring ethical insights—and what did he find there? He found laws in Leviticus forbidding a disabled person from being a priest, branding lepers as outcasts from the community, stigmatizing a woman as unclean during her menstrual period or after giving birth. Leviticus forbids same-sex relations, eating lobster, tattoos, wearing clothes made of two different kinds of fabric, and planting a field with two different kinds of seed.

That settles it: the fact that there are Anglicans who persist in eating lobster and no-one seems to care must mean that no-one should care if they also engage in sodomy. I had no idea it was that simple.

If only it had occurred to Rev. Dr. Gary Nicolosi to point that out before now, we could have avoided all the recent Anglican unpleasantness.

Anyway, as Rev. Nicolosi goes on to point out, all you really need is love – particularly when you love lobsters.

The Anglican Journal barely contains its glee in reporting a Catholic favouring same-sex marriage

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Apparently, it brings us one step closer to everyone being equal[ly daft].

In the Anglican Church of Canada, agreeing with a government when it wants to introduce same-sex marriage legislation and disagreeing with a government when it introduces spending cuts are both known as prophetic social justice making. A prophecy occurring after the fact would be risible for any institution that was less behind the times than the ACoC, of course: but what else can you expect from a church that consecrates a bishop to the dulcet prophetic tones of All You Need is 1960’s Love.

From here:

Brisbane, Australia – As Australia debates gay marriage, one Catholic member of Parliament, who is in favor, says his faith informs his thinking, but not necessarily his decision-making.

In taking this stance, Brisbane Labor MP Graham Perrett is opposing both his church and his party but said he believes “it is time for this nation to protect committed, monogamous relationships, whatever the gender of the adults who wish to have their relationship recognized by the state.”

Will the Anglican Church of Canada get out of the marriage business?

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The Anglican Church of Canada has been considering getting out of the marriage business and, instead, just “blessing” the state version of marriage.

An obvious reason for this is that the state has altered the meaning of marriage from the union of one man and one woman to the joining in a sexual, but otherwise indeterminate fashion, of men with men and women with women. The Anglican Church of Canada, applying its typical reverse-prophetic sycophancy, wants to go along with this, but has to overcome one minor hurdle: the Bible.

The answer to the problem is simple: stop marrying people altogether, just “bless” what has already been done.

From here:

A small group of bishops will lay the groundwork for a discussion of marriage within the life of the church at the November House of Bishops meeting in Niagara Falls.

The impetus for this discussion is a General Synod request to the faith, worship and ministry committee to consider the implications of having Anglican clergy cease to solemnize marriages.

It all makes perfect sense: by devaluing the idea of marriage, the church has rendered it meaningless, so why keep on doing it?

What’s more, there is a efficient replacement:

When Miguel Hanson and Diana Wesley get married today, they won’t stand before a gray haired minister holding a Bible.

Instead, they’ll be looking at a 30-inch monitor.

On one half of the screen, they’ll see a virtual minister with an animated, square face with blue eyes and thin, oval glasses.

His voice will be heard over a sound system while the text of what he’s saying will show up on the other half of the screen.

And the sermon would be shorter and make more sense.

Episcopal bishops gleefully welcome New York same-sex marriage

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The news that a law permitting same-sex marriages in New York has been approved is all it took for bishops in The Episcopal Church to fall over themselves in their eagerness to slavishly follow the world’s lead. In contemporary ecclesiastical parlance, this is called being prophetic. It used to be called being relevant but that is so 1990s.

You can read more on their enthusiastic rejoicing here:

At least one U.S. Episcopal Church bishop in the state of New York has said that clergy in his diocese may solemnize same-gender marriages as soon as the state’s recently passed Marriage Equality Act goes into effect.

“The Episcopal diocese of Long Island will engage this new law with a generous and open response allowing, under the provision of our General Convention, the use of rites for same-gender marriage by priests of this diocese who believe they are called to preside at the exchange of vows, once the law has taken effect in 30 days,” Bishop Lawrence Provenzano said in a June 25 statement.

Meanwhile, Bishop Prince Singh of Rochester said in a statement e-mailed to Episcopal News Service that he would soon set up a diocesan task force “to help us chart our course to engage this journey reverently, deliberately and in congruence with church law.” Singh told ENS that he was “working on some more specific direction for the diocese.” He had actively campaigned for at least two years for passage of the law.

Diocese of Western New York Bishop William Franklin said in a statement welcoming the law’s passage that he will be holding meetings soon “for members of our diocese to listen to how Episcopal churches in Western New York might integrate this decision into our life.”

Diocese of New York Bishop Mark Sisk said in a statement that “the legislation, as enacted, appears to be closely aligned with the long standing views of this diocese that the civil rights of all people should be respected equally before the law.”
All four praised passage of the act. The bishops of Albany and Central New York did not respond to ENS requests for comment.

 

Christian florist refuses to arrange flowers for same-sex wedding

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From here:

A florist in Riverview, N.B., is refusing to provide wedding flowers to a same-sex couple, according to the event’s planner.

After agreeing to provide the flowers for a wedding, Kim Evans of Petals and Promises Wedding Flowers sent an email last month to the couple, saying she didn’t know it was a same-sex wedding and would have no part of the ceremony.

“I am choosing to decline your business. As a born-again Christian, I must respect my conscience before God and have no part in this matter,” the email said.

Evans has not returned calls from CBC News to explain her decision.

Mario Bourgeois Leduc, wedding planner for the couple, who didn’t want their names released, said he was appalled by the florist’s email, especially since “you’re celebrating love and you’re going against all of the odds to celebrate what is important in your life.”

“This is going to stay with them for years, because they were again told that their lives are not OK.”

Eldon Hay, a United Church minister in Sackville and a well-known gay rights advocate, said he still sympathizes with the florist.

“The shopkeeper has every right to her own convictions as long as she is a private citizen in her own house,” Hay said.

“But if she opens her doors to sell flowers, then she must be prepared to meet and deal with the public.”

According to the New Brunswick Human Rights Act, anyone doing business in the province cannot refuse customers based on race, religion or sexual orientation.

I suspect that this type of incident is likely to become more common as the decade grinds on.

While, like the United Church minister, I can feign sympathy for what I disagree with – the law in my case – I do wonder whether, in this situation, the law is being misapplied.

Making it illegal for a homosexual couple to walk into, say, a tobacconist and be refused cigarettes, is a little different from compelling a Christian florist to tacitly condone – almost take part in – a “marriage” ceremony which violates her beliefs.

The law usually acts as a blunderbuss, of course, and is indifferent to fine distinctions, so Christians beware: we appear to be entering a time where we have to pay a social and financial penalty for our beliefs.

The Very Rev. Katherine Ragsdale did something old-fashioned, traditional, and family value-focussed

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She married another woman.Add an Image

From here:

It’s not that we wanted to make a political statement……

The direction of the Holy Spirit seems readily discernible to many of us.  The Church, throughout the world, is growing in the direction of inclusion and justice for all God’s people, including Mally and me.  For now, the fights continue.  Anglicans, among others, fight and threaten schism over our marriages, over our love, and our lives.  Mally is Canon to the Ordinary (the Bishop’s chief of staff), and I am the President and Dean of an Episcopal Seminary.  Because of this, we are in danger of becoming the newest poster-children in this on-going fight.  All of this–for doing something as old-fashioned, traditional, and family value-focused as getting married surrounded by friends and family in the church.

What can one possibly say in the face such chutzpah?

Nice hairdo, sweetie.

Having approved same-sex blessings, Toronto Bishop Colin Johnson calls for Charity

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Bishop Colin Johnson has sent a letter to the clergy of the Diocese of Toronto explaining his decision to allow the blessing of same-sex unions in his diocese.

It contains the expected boilerplate, including this section which exhorts its readers to exercise Christian charity towards one another:

Not all will welcome this development: some because it goes too far, some because it is not nearly enough. You will note that there are strong affirmations in these guidelines assuring a continued and honoured place in all aspects of diocesan life for those who do not agree with this response.

All of us need to extend to each the most generous Christian charity that our Redeemer calls us to exercise as we, together, seek to discern and live out God’s will.

Charity – or agape love –  is explained by St. Paul in 1 Cor 13. It includes this:

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

And here we have the problem: charity “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth”. What Johnson means by charity is not what St. Paul meant: charity does not require compromise on revealed truth. How can clergy who oppose same-sex blessings, out of charity, “rejoice in the truth” when they are being compelled to be an accessory to the lie that man can bless something that God has forbidden?

What Johnson means by “charity” is a mushy mealy-mouthed liberal feel-good moral relativism that wants us all to grin and nod inanely at one another as we  sink together into a morass of antinomian depravity. That isn’t charity.