The Montreal branch of the Anglican Church will vote tonight on whether parishes in the diocese can formally bless same-sex civil unions, if they so choose.
The vote, to take place at their annual meeting, or synod, comes a week after the Ottawa diocese voted 177-97 in favour of a similar motion.
The result of the vote is only a recommendation. If Montreal Anglicans vote to follow their Ottawa brethren, Bishop Barry Clarke, head of the Montreal diocese, can choose to accept or reject their choice.
This week, Clarke said he had not made up his mind about the controversial issue, but he would be listening to what the 240 voting clergy and laity at the synod have to say.
The issue of homosexuality has ripped apart the worldwide Anglican community in recent years.
The consequence of the ABC coming to Canada and telling them there will be no consequences.
Actually Dr Dr Rob Roy I think it was Canon Kearon, President-for-life of the ACC,ACO and whatever. Mind you as one of the legion spokespeople for the ABC perhaps you are right in the broader sense of ‘his’ truth.
The Time of Decision is here:
Canadian synods and certain U.S. dioceses are considering approval of same sex blessings, while by contrast, certain other U.S. dioceses are considering a formal, legal split from TEC.
The landscape is shifting; the artist does not know what color to pick from his palette nor where to apply his brush.
What a wise wabbit.
Br_er Rabbit said
“The landscape is shifting; the artist does not know what color to pick from his palette nor where to apply his brush. ”
He is right. At this point the tea leaves are hard to read. There are many identifiable ‘bits and pieces’ in North Amerca, both within and without ECUSA and the Church of Canada, but no unifying patterns implying or signalling a sure outcome.
However, I feel certain that, in one way or another, that the Anglican faith is going to be reformed within North America over the next several years.
One effect of this reformation is that the “revisionists” are going to be left on the outside, that is, outside in the cold. The revisionists will end up as a quaint quasi-religious group that wears fancy clothes and owns some interesting but costly to maintain real estate.
The revisionists as a group will not show growth in numbers because their membership will generally not have a Scripturally sound belief system that will invoke the Holy Spirit to support their efforts, will support abortion, will consider traditional marriage to be old fashioned, will be too focused on themselves to give of themselves what is necessary to raise children, will have large numbers of non-reproducing same-sex couples and will not be the kind of place that responsible parents will wish to have their children receive spiritual education.
ECUSA is rapidly becoming a “house built upon sand,” and the reformers who will return to “the Faith once given” will be building their house on the bedrock of that Faith.
“Here we go again,” I said to myself as I read this. I could easily give in to despair if I didn’t have resources holding me up. As I prepared for Sunday I read Psalm 119 in a few different versions to immerse myself a liitle more in the context for this Sunday’s appointed Psalm portion. I heartily recommend it for anyone who may be feeling a little discouraged over the trends we see in North American Anglicanism. I found Eugene Peterson’s ‘The Message’ to have some especially apt words for our current situation:
The arrogant godless try to throw me off track, ignorant as they are of God and his ways.
Everything you command is a sure thing, but they harass me with lies. Help!
They’ve pushed and pushed – they never let go – but I haven’t relaxed my grip on your counsel.
In your great love revive me so I can alertly obey your every word.