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8-May--1997 
97192 
 
                 Canada's Anglican Bishops Want  
                 New Guidelines on Homosexuality 
 
                 by Ecumenical News International 
 
TORONTO--Decisions and surveys in two of Canada's biggest churches -- the 
United Church of Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada -- have signaled 
growing acceptance of homosexuals and, in some cases, of homosexual 
relationships. 
 
     Two-thirds of Canada's Anglican bishops want changes made to their 
church's guidelines on the "ordination of homosexual persons," according to 
a survey commissioned by the church. 
 
     The church's guidelines, which came into effect in 1979, state that 
all people are equal before God, but add: "Our acceptance of persons with 
homosexual orientation is not an acceptance of homosexual activity." 
 
     The guidelines also state that the bishops "do not accept the blessing 
of homosexual unions" and that a gay man or lesbian woman can be ordained 
"if there has been a commitment to the bishop to abstain from sexual acts 
with persons of the same sex." 
 
     The 34 bishops who completed the survey promised to continue to uphold 
the 1979 guidelines "in principle," but only 10 bishops said the guidelines 
should be retained without any changes. Eighteen bishops said the 
guidelines should be revised to retain their "original intention" but in a 
way that expressed "a wider context of theological understanding and 
pastoral sensitivity."  
 
     Six bishops went further, saying that the guidelines should remain in 
force only until they could be replaced by new ones. 
 
     According to the survey, 19 bishops believed the church should 
apologize to the gay and lesbian community for insensitivity and hostility 
originating in the church, and 23 bishops said the church should be "more 
accepting and affirming of models of family other than the nuclear family." 
 
     Sixteen bishops opposed considering the recognition of same-sex 
relationships, while 14 were in favor. 
 
     The results of the survey will be examined by a task force set up by 
the Anglican bishops. The task force will then draft a message to the 
church about relationships, to be made public later this year. 
 
     In the United Church of Canada, two congregations in Vancouver -- 
Trinity and First -- have voted to formally welcome gays and lesbians into 
all aspects of their church life -- the first United Church congregations 
in the province of British Columbia to do so. 
 
     The decision by Trinity and First brings to a total of eight the 
number of  United Church congregations who have joined "Affirming 
Congregations," a small national movement to embrace those excluded from 
church life because of their sexual orientation. 
 
     Trinity's pastor, Linda Ervin, told the "Vancouver Sun" newspaper: 
"Many gays and lesbians are anti-church because they have found the church 
condemning and inhospitable.  In becoming an affirming congregation, we are 
responding to God's call for justice and reconciliation.  We are stating: 
 You belong. There is a place for you here.'" 
 
     Affirming Congregations offer covenanting services that link 
homosexuals in marriagelike unions and special funeral services, and gays 
and lesbians are welcome to apply for positions as ministers, musicians and 
church secretaries in the congregations. 
 
     Four congregations in Toronto and two in Winnipeg have also voted 
recently to become Affirming Congregations. 
 
     A number of United Church congregations have openly homosexual clergy 
and welcome noncelibate homosexuals to services, but the decision to become 
an Affirming Congregation makes inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and 
transgendered people more explicit and public. 
 
     In 1988 the United Church of Canada became the only major Christian 
denomination in Canada to allow homosexuals to become ministers.  A small 
minority of church members left the church over the decision.  

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