The diocese of Ottawa\u2019s regularly scheduled synod will decide Oct. 12-13 whether to request its bishop to grant permission for clergy to bless same-sex relationships.<\/p>\n
It is the first diocese to consider the matter since the triennial General Synod, the Anglican Church of Canada\u2019s national governing body, agreed in June that same-sex blessings are \u201cnot in conflict\u201d\u009d with core church doctrine, but declined by a slim margin to affirm the authority of dioceses to offer them.<\/p>\n
The Ottawa motion, moved by Ron Chaplin, a member of the diocese\u2019s branch of Integrity, a support group for gay Anglicans, and Canon Garth Bulmer, rector of St. John the Evangelist, reads: \u201cBe it resolved that this synod requests that the bishop grant permission for clergy, whose conscience permits, to bless duly solemnized and registered civil marriages between same-sex couples, where one party is baptized; and that he authorizes an appropriate rite and guidelines for its use in supportive parishes.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
The new diocesan bishop, John Chapman, said in a statement that if the motion passes, \u201cit will leave the matter with the bishop to render a decision.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n