wfn.org | Canadian bishops continue to wrestl

[ENS.parti@ecunet.org (ENS)]

November 13, 1997
Episcopal News Service
Jim Solheim, Director
212-922-5385
ens@ecunet.org

97-1998
Canadian bishops continue to wrestle with sexuality issues

by Michael Barwell
       (ENS) After 30 years of wrestling with issues of sexuality, the
Anglican bishops of North America still find themselves deeply divided
but moving toward a pastoral and compassionate response.
       Canada's Anglican bishops recently revised their guidelines on
dealing with the ordination and pastoral care of homosexuals, while
admitting they are "unlikely" to reach any "consensus in the near future."
       "Bishops are cautious people," Bishop Michael Ingham of
Vancouver, British Columbia, explained in an interview, "and they
recognize the potential for division, very strong in the Canadian Church,
so they want to move slowly."
       Meeting in Mississauga, Ontario, the bishops on October 30
adopted almost unanimously and without change a statement which
recommends that the Canadian Church "continue to read the scriptures
together and to engage in dialogue, that we might listen for what the
Spirit is saying to the church today."
       The guidelines "affirm traditional teaching" of marriage between a
male and female; refuse to "authorize any act that appears to promote
confusion" between blessings of same-sex unions and Holy Matrimony;
and admonishes homosexual clergy to adhere to "exemplary behavior"
and "a commitment to remain chaste."
       But the statement also admits "we do not have a common mind on
all things" and the church must continue its ongoing study while avoiding
the rancor it sees in other churches.

`Consensus unlikely'
       "While consensus may be unlikely in the future, we believe that
study and dialogue continue to be fruitful. As we continue to listen
together to scripture, tradition, and reasoned arguments based on the
experience  of the church, including and especially the experience of its
gay and lesbian members, we grow in our recognition that our
disagreements reflect our attempts to be faithful to the Gospel in our
different personal and pastoral contexts," the bishops agreed.
       The Canadian bishops said that since 1976 they have "sought
advice as it faced the issue of homosexuality in contemporary society and
how the church ought to relate pastorally, and in terms of ordination." A
benchmark statement in 1979 included the belief that "We believe as
Christians that homosexual persons, as children of God, have a full and
equal claim with all other persons, upon the love, acceptance, concern
and pastoral care of the church." 
       After extensive debate at the 1995 General Synod, legislation was
adopted which "affirmed the presence and contributions of gay men and
lesbians in the life of the church and condemned bigotry, violence and
hatred directed toward any due to their sexual orientation." Continued
study led to open dialogues throughout the church, which "fostered a
greater understanding of what it is to be a gay man or lesbian in the
church" and enabled them to "share their experiences in a more public
way to the benefit of the whole church which has become increasingly
aware of the breadth and depth of their contribution," the bishops said.

`A positive step'
       "There are some very good things about the statement," Ingham
said. "It acknowledges the pain and suffering of gays and lesbians in the
church. It describes them as sons and daughters" and "calls for
repentance for the fostering of prejudice and ignorance. That's a major
step forward, indicating that the bishops through their long dialogue have
come to a deeper understanding of gays and lesbians. That's all very
positive, a step forward," he said.
       But, Ingham added, "I think it is the same bitter pill but with
sugar coating. It still represents a no to people in our church who
deserve a yes. I'll say to gays and lesbians in my diocese that the
statement can be interpreted hopefully, that the church is moving. But it's
not moving fast enough or far enough for those people who are, in part,
excommunicated."

`New pastoral awareness'
       Discussing the issue for the first time in open session, the House
of Bishops in April appointed a task force to rewrite the 1979 guidelines
"in light of new pastoral awareness while at the same time retaining the
original intent of the guideline."  
       The guidelines focus on four main areas: the place of gay and
lesbian persons in society, the place of gay and lesbian persons in the
church, the significance of committed sexually active relationships
between people of the same sex, and the significance of such
relationships for ordination of gay and lesbian persons.
       The bishops agreed "on the basis of theological insights...
irrespective of considerations of the appropriateness of homosexual acts"
that gay and lesbian persons "are entitled to equal protection under the
law." The bishops supported national legislation that made sexual
orientation a prohibited ground for discrimination under the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The bishops also called for all church
members to "safeguard the freedom, dignity and responsibility of every
person to seek and end to discrimination."

`Growing awareness'
       Regarding the church's attitude to gay and lesbian people within
the church, the bishops admitted, "We are experiencing growing
awareness that the persons of whom we speak are here among us. They
are our sons and daughters. They are our friends and relatives. This
recognition has not always been present." The church's awareness "too
often has been one of standing at a distance, even of prejudice, ignorance
and oppression. All of us need to acknowledge this, and to repent for any
part we may have had in creating it," the bishops agreed.
       At the same time, the bishops did not budge regarding the
blessing of same-sex unions. While recognizing "that relationships of
mutual support, help and comfort between homosexual persons exist and
are to be preferred to relationships that are anonymous and transient,"
the bishops stated they "would not authorize any act" that appears to
mirror marriage between same-sex partners. 
       "There is and needs to be, ongoing discussion about how to
respond appropriately to faithful and committed same-sex relationships,"
the bishops said, but "we are not ready to authorize the blessing of
relationships between persons of the same sex." They are committed to
ongoing study of the issue, they added.
       Admitting that some clergy are gay or lesbian, and "their
ministries are often highly dedicated and greatly blessed," the bishops
said that "sexual orientation in and of itself is not a barrier to ordination
or the practice of ministry." But, they added, ordination candidates must
continue to promise "to live their lives and shape their relationships so as
to provide `a wholesome example' to the people of God. Exemplary
behavior for persons who are not married includes a commitment to
remain chaste," the bishops agreed.

Watching and waiting
       Ingham noted that the Canadian Church is wary of repeating the
experience of the Episcopal Church in dealing with sexuality issues. They
regard as divisive several U.S. experiences, such as the trial of retired
Bishop Walter Righter for ordaining a homosexual deacon, and
statements such as the Koinonia statement signed by some bishops at the
1994 General Convention saying that sexuality is "morally neutral."
Recent statements on sexuality from a meeting last year in Kuala Lumpur
and a meeting in Dallas last month condemning the North American
churches' wrestling with sexuality issues have inflamed the dialogue. 
       "Our conversation is influenced by what has been happening in
the United States in two ways," Ingham said. There is a desire "not to
repeat the American experience, which we see as very divisive." And, he
said, "from the point of view of gays and lesbians in the Canadian
church, what's happening in the U.S. gives them hope that there are
places where their unions can be blessed."
       Regarding the future for Canada, Ingham said, "There is no doubt
which way this is going. The question is how long will it take? Canadian
society is becoming much more tolerant and accepting" of gays and
lesbians. "The courts, the direction of civil law is toward equal rights.
The church seems to be lagging behind society," he said.
       Bishop Christopher Epting of Iowa agreed with Ingham's
observations. "I can certainly hear echoes of our own church's struggles
over the blessing of committed same-sex unions and the ordination of
persons in such relations," he said. "The Episcopal Church has moved
from name-calling to dialogue to certain mutual respect as we seek to
work through these vexing questions," he said.
       "Neither the Canadian Church nor our own has reached consensus
on these matters, but we are clearly walking together along the road to
God's truth and God's will for the church," added Epting, who is serves
as a member of the House of Bishops' committee on theology. "I look
forward to Lambeth 1998 where we will continue the dialogue with sister
and brother bishops from the wider Anglican Communion." 
       
--Michael Barwell is deputy director for news and information for the
Episcopal Church. Based on a statement issue issued by the bishops of
the Anglican Church of Canada and an interview by James Solheim,
director of news and information.