Anglican Church of Canada Facing Defections Over Blessings of Same Sex Unions

The Canadian church’s top governing body decided last June that blessing same-sex marriages does not violate basic church doctrine, prompting anger among conservative congregations.

Canada’s bishops have decided to continue a moratorium on same-sex marriages, however. Some local parishes and dioceses are blessing the unions anyway.

Meanwhile, the dissenting churches are being asked to hand over the keys to their buildings or face legal action to have them removed from the properties.

“If they don’t turn in the keys, we are planning to go and physically try to take possession of the parishes by showing up and asking them for the keys,” the Rev. Richard Jones, an official in the Diocese of Niagara, told the Toronto Star.

Read it all.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, Anglican Church of Canada, Anglican Provinces

4 comments on “Anglican Church of Canada Facing Defections Over Blessings of Same Sex Unions

  1. Toral1 says:

    Today’s Toronto Star story (http://www.thestar.com/article/305517) suggests that yesterday’s events were something of an anticlimax:

    [U]p to 40 members of 150-year-old St. George’s Anglican church in Lowville…want to stay with the national church and hope to one day return to St. George’s. For now, they can’t, however, because the minister there refused yesterday morning to cede control of the property to the local diocese.

    “We were asked, and declined,” said Rev. Canon Charlie Masters, adding he will be conducting services at St. George’s this weekend. “All are welcome on Sunday.”

    The newly appointed administrators showed up, asked for the keys, were refused them, and then just turned around and went home? I was expecting something a little more dramatic.

  2. Choir Stall says:

    Notable Quotables:
    “There is no split occurring.” (Sons of Korah on the mounting crisis beneath their feet).
    “I agree.” (KJS on the thousands leaving and how its not a mounting crisis called “division”).
    “What she said”. (ACC on the cracking earth beneath them).

  3. Wilfred says:

    Vestries better change the locks, for here comes Richard Jones, an official in the Diocese of Viagra.

  4. Mithrax+ says:

    As I said in a previous article, Rick Jones, despite being secretary of Synod has no power or authority to make these statements.