In 2016 the Chancellor of the ACoC made clear that just because something is affirmed does not mean that alternatives are rejected. He pointed out that there is nothing in the current Canons that forbids same-sex marriage. He said the same thing this year.<\/p>\n
The General Synod then overwhelmingly passed a series of affirmations which made clear that it agrees with the Chancellor\u2019s ruling. Listen to this, \u201cWe affirm that, while there are different understandings of the existing Marriage Canon, those bishops and synods who have authorized liturgies for the blessing of a marriage between two people of the same sex understand that the existing Canon does not prohibit same-sex marriage.\u201d The House of Bishops made a similar statement.<\/p>\n
It gets worse. The Synod overwhelmingly passed \u201cAffirmations\u201d that say that both views on marriage are held \u201cwith prayerful integrity;\u201d that all sides on this issue hold their convictions \u201cin good faith\u201d and that \u201cwe hold dear their continued presence in this church;\u201d and that \u201cwe affirm our commitment to walk together and preserve communion.\u201d In other words, different views on marriage are at best a third-order issue.<\/p>\n
This means that biblical orthodoxy has lost the war. To make the Canons clearly biblical, the ACoC will have to change the Canons to add something to the effect that they reject same-sex marriage as biblical and that this is a first-order issue. This is not possible.<\/p>\n