Canadian Primate: It's not about the sex, Anglican bishop tells flock

Doug Ward , Canwest News Service
Monday, June 23, 2008

VANCOUVER - The leader of the Anglican Church of Canada has come to Vancouver to tell his divided flock to get their minds off sex - especially as practised by gays and lesbians.

It's Not All About Sex is the title of the speech Primate Fred Hiltz will give Tuesday night at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Vancouver.

"We laughed when we came up with that title, but it's true," Hiltz said Monday. "The church is about much more than sex, here and elsewhere. But some Anglicans are obsessed about sex."

Elected last year as Canada's senior Anglican, Hiltz was referring to his denomination's decade-long battle over the blessing of same-sex relationships, an issue that threatens to rupture the church in Canada and around the world.

Even though the United Church of Canada has been blessing homosexual relationships since 1990, the rites have caused a furor among the 70 million-member worldwide Anglican communion, which includes African and Asian leaders who are vociferously opposed. the rest image