wfn.org | [ENS] New primate for Canada; same-sex blessings discussed

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Wednesday, June 02, 2004

New primate for Canada; same-sex blessings discussed

By Matthew Davies

ENS 060204-1

[ENS] The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), meeting May
28 - June 5 at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, elected Archbishop
Andrew Hutchison of Montreal as its 12th primate May 31 in a four ballot vote
that took almost five hours to complete. Hutchison received 68 out of 117
clergy votes and 97 out of 144 from the laity.

Commenting on the election, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold said, "Given the
close friendship and strong working relationship I enjoyed with the former
primate, Michael Peers, I look forward to continuing this relationship with
Archbishop Hutchison. There is much that our two churches share in common and
many ways we can collaborate in the service of God's mission in the world."

Responsibility and accountability

Hutchison, 65, could serve a possible five years as primate before reaching
the church's mandatory retirement age of 70. He told a press conference
following the election, however, that "it was quite likely" that he would
only serve one three-year-term, taking his primacy through to the next
triennial meeting of the General Synod in 2007.

Speaking to members of the General Synod gathered at the university's Sean
O'Sullivan Theatre, Hutchison said that he was accepting the primacy "with a
profound sense of both responsibility and accountability in this wonderful
Anglican Church of Canada."

A spokesperson for the ACC told ENS that Hutchison, despite being branded the
"liberal choice," would lead the church with sensitivity, adding that an
"interim primate" was what people wanted after the two long primacies of
Archbishops Michael Peers and Edward Scott who served the church for the last
33 years collectively.

The other candidates on the first two ballots were Bishop Ronald Ferris
(Algoma) and Bishop Caleb Lawrence of Moosonee. Another candidate, Bishop
Victoria Matthews of Edmonton, withdrew from the race last week after she was
diagnosed with breast cancer. Bishop Ralph Spence of Niagara was added as a
candidate after the second ballot when the clergy members requested the
bishops to add more nominees to the position, but was voted out during the
third ballot.

Same-sex blessings

Perhaps the most controversial motions being proposed to Synod members are
those dealing with the blessing of same-sex unions, an issue that has caused
many divisions both within the ACC and throughout the worldwide Anglican
Communion.

Responding to questions about whether he was in favor of same-sex blessings,
Hutchison said, "When two human beings active in the life of the church and
the body of Christ commit themselves to each other for life and ask their
faith community to bless that, I have no problem with that." He admitted that
he had difficulties with same-sex marriage and remained undecided about the
resolution being presented before General Synod. "Frankly, I haven't really
taken a position on that yet," he said. "It's not fence-sitting. I do have my
personal convictions but what will be good for the church at this point needs
to unroll during the process of this synod."

The first part of the motion would commit the church to strive for unity
despite a recognition that there are "deeply held convictions" on both sides
of the issue. The second part affirms that each of the church's 30 dioceses,
with the concurrence of its bishop, has the authority to bless or not bless
same-sex unions. Members of synod are voting on the motion on Wednesday, June
2.

'Unity within diversity'

When asked what he would do to restore unity within the fractured church,
Hutchison said, "The way I hope to do that is to remind us of our history of
unity within diversity," adding that the church has survived similar crises
involving such issues as the ordination of women and re-marriage of divorced
persons. He said that he would forge an informal dialogue with dissenting
churches and parishes in the diocese of New Westminster who have formed their
own coalition after their diocesan synod in 2002 approved the blessing of
same-sex unions.

Hutchison is also bishop ordinary to the Canadian Forces and metropolitan
(senior bishop) of the ecclesiastical (church) province of Canada. Which
includes the dioceses of Quebec, Montreal, Fredericton, Nova Scotia and
Prince Edward Island and the three dioceses in Newfoundland. He has had a
long career in the Anglican Church of Canada, having served 15 ecclesiastical
offices. A native of Toronto, he was ordained a deacon at St. James Cathedral
in 1969. He was installed as bishop at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, in
1990, and elected metropolitan in May, 2002.

Hutchison is married to Lois--a diocesan employee in Montreal--with whom he
has one son, David.

--Matthew Davies is staff writer of Episcopal News Service. Portions of this
article were taken from press releases of the Anglican Church of Canada and
Anglican Journal.

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