Canadian Anglican bishops seek delay on same-sex blessings

Canwest News Service
Friday, October 31, 2008

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - Canada's Anglican Bishops, meeting in Niagara Falls, Ont., have asked bishops who favour the blessing of same-sex unions to indulge in "gracious restraint" for another two years until a meeting of the General Synod can deal with the issue.

The Anglican Bishop of Montreal, Barry Clarke, last week signalled his intentions to work out a rite for such blessings. He told his local synod meeting he believes he has been called by God to speak with a prophetic voice.

"It is our voice that is called to affirm that all unions of faithful love and lifelong commitment are worthy of God's blessing," he said.

The House of Bishops ended its retreat in Niagara Falls on Friday, asking for "a continued commitment to the greatest extent possible" to a moratorium on such blessings agreed to this summer by the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops meeting in England. The conference, in theory, directs the affairs of the 80-million member Anglican Church worldwide. the rest