While the Episcopal Church (USA) works out how to include a Buddhist follower among its House of Bishops, the Anglican Church in Canada is encountering a fresh challenge from the Diocese of Niagara. In November 2008, Bishop Michael Bird wrote a letter to his diocese two days prior to their annual synod, stating:
“I believe we are among those who have been called by God to speak with a prophetic voice on this subject. I, therefore, intend to ask for a rite to be developed for the blessing of same-sex couples who have been civilly married, along with a process to enable these blessings to take place that will at the same time honour the diversity of tradition and theology that exists across Niagara.
It is my hope that this process would move ahead as expeditiously as possible and that I will be in a position to report back to the Diocese within the next few months.
I want to assure you and be absolutely clear, that all clergy and all parishes will be fully free to follow their own conscience in this matter, as and when we are able to move forward.”
This pronouncement was in light of the debate in the 2007 Niagara synod where by a vote of 239-53 the synod asked the bishop to allow those clergy "whose conscience permits" to bless gay marriages. However, it was also in direct opposition to the Canadian House of Bishops who in 2008 called for a halt to liturgies for same-sex blessings (similar to Lambeth's moratorium) until 2010.
As reported in the Church of England Newspaper (20 March 09) the Bishop of Niagara has announced that he will now begin blessing same-sex unions, and has informed the Archbishop of Canterbury of his decision. He informed Dr Williams that the diocese's call to "prophetic justice-making has made us even more determined to become a more open and inclusive church."
One wonders what the limits to inclusiveness really are. The apostle John tells his readers that "this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. anyone who does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God." (2 John 6,9)
Does this judgment apply to the Bishop of Niagara?
