In a recent Anglican Journal interview about the Marriage Commission established by General Synod 2013, member Bishop Linda Nicholls was asked “…whether the commission reflects the “theological diversity” that the primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, had promised.” Bishop Nicholls said, “I think the group reflects the ability to hear the theological diversity of the church.” She added that each member has demonstrated “an ability to hear, to listen, to reflect from all perspectives.” What Bishop Nicholls did not say is that every member who was appointed to the marriage commission is on record as supporting a change to the canon so as to allow same-sex marriage within the Church. Anyone who came away from General Synod 2013 expecting that the commission requested would be theologically balanced in its composition so as to ensure that all voices might be heard, is now assured instead that the commission appointed by the Primate, although made up exclusively of people who are in favour of changing the marriage canon to allow same-sex marriage, will go through the process of listening to diverse opinions before rendering their report.
Bishop’s Notes Justice not only needs to be done, it must be seen to be done... and it hasn’t When I read this I immediately thought of the legal maxim that “Justice must not only be done. It must be seen to be done.” Well, in this instance, justice is neither being done, nor being seen to be done. Over the years I have sometimes been criticised for being too cynical about the processes by which our national church has advanced the agenda of same-sex blessings (which miraculously was transformed into same-sex marriage at Ottawa, much to the consternation of many who had been assured that such was not what we had been discussing for the past many years!) But even I must admit to being surprised at the temerity of those who, having stacked the deck of membership on this committee, now ask us to believe that due weight will be given to diverse voices. There is no shortage of competent and talented theologians who could have contributed to the work of this committee whilst representing the traditional teach-
Cantur answers questions about “Why not now?” By Angliccan Communion News Service staff
The Archbishop of Canterbury revealed today that Christians in parts of Africa face abuse, violence and even death because of decisions on sexual equality made by Anglican Churches in the West. Justin Welby, the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, made the comments in an hour-long phone-in programme on LBC radio today. In particular he was was responding to a question from Kes, a Church of England priest who had called in to ask why English clergy were not allowed to decide for themselves whether to marry gay couples. “Why we can’t do it now is because the impact of that on Christians in countries far from here like South Sudan, like Pakistan, like Nigeria, would be absolutely catastrophic and we have to love them as much as the people who are here,” he said. “At the same time we have to listen incredibly carefully to the LGBT communities here and listen to what they’re saying and we have to look at the tradition of the Church, the teaching of the Church, and of Scripture which is definitive in the end, before we come to a conclusion [on the issue of same sex marriage].”When challenged by the LBC presenter James O’Brien about the Church of England’s decision not to perform same sex weddings, Archbishop Welby stressed it had nothing to do with avoiding upset to African Anglicans. Rather it was about not putting them in danger. “It is something I wrestle with every day, and often in the middle
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of the night. I’m incredibly conscious of the position of gay people in this country, how badly they’ve been treated over the years, how badly the church has behaved. And, at the same time I’m incredibly conscious of what I saw in January in South Sudan, in the DRC, and other places. You know, it’s not a simple issue,” he continued. “Personally...I look at the Scriptures, I look at the teachings of the Church, I listen to Christians around the world and I have real hesitations about [same sex marriage]. I’m incredibly uncomfortable saying that because I really don’t want to say no to people who love each other. But you have to have a sense of following what the teaching of the Church is. We can’t just make sudden changes.” One reason why not, explained the Archbishop, was because doing so could put Christians in danger elsewhere. He explained that he had seen firsthand, at a mass grave in Africa, the lethal fallout from a decision on sexual equality taken by Christians in another country. He said he had been told that the excuse given for the murder of hundreds of Christians there had been: “If we leave a Christian community in this area, we will all be made to become homosexual, and so we’re going to kill the Christians.” Archbishop Welby concluded, “The mass grave had 369 bodies in it and I was standing with the relatives. That burns itself into your soul, as does the suffering of gay people in this country.”
ing of the Church. There are many within our church who could have done so. No, this represents simply an attempt to fool people into believing there was a thoughtful and balanced approach taken to rewriting the marriage canon, and thus to silence those opposed to the proposed changes. When Our Lord was taken before the Sanhedrin on the night before He was crucified, I’m sure the members of that committee took care to appear to go through the proper motions before delivering Him up to Pilate. Their attention to process did not alter the fact that the outcome had been fixed before Jesus was arrested. With the marriage commission we are dealing with no less serious an issue. Questions of the importance of Holy Scripture and the Sacrament of Marriage derive their importance precisely because Jesus bore witness to them as important in the life of God’s creation. That these questions have now been entrusted to a stacked committee is no less an injustice than what was done to Christ on that night long ago.
Caledonia Times Publication of the Diocese of Caledonia
Publisher: The Bishop of Caledonia Editor: The Dean of Caledonia Published monthly, except July and August by: Diocese of Caledonia, 200 – 4th Avenue West Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1P3 (250) 635-6016 or (250) 600-7143 Address correspondence and copy to the address above or to caledoniatimes@gmail.com Submissions must be received by the 1st of the month for the following month’s issue. Send subscription orders, address changes Diocese of Caledonia c/o Anglican Journal 80 Hayden St. Toronto, Ontario M4Y 3G2 Printed and mailed by: Webnews Inc., North York, Ontario
Caledonia Times — May 2014