New head of church supports gay union :: Namibia Internet Gateway cc ::

Articles: New head of church supports gay union

Posted by admin on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 08:38 AM

Montreal's Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, regarded as a liberal in the divisive dispute over gays and lesbians, was elected Monday as new national leader of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Hutchison was chosen as primate on the fourth ballot over Bishop Ronald Ferris of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, a conservative on the issue. Church delegates face a Wednesday night showdown on whether to give dioceses the go-ahead to provide blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples. The New Westminster (Vancouver area) Diocese approved such blessings two years ago, dividing Anglicans worldwide. The blessing ritual is a church endorsement of a same-sex couple, but it not a marriage. Despite his personal stance, Hutchison told reporters after the vote that "what is good for the church needs to unroll during the process" of the church's meeting. He added that he wouldn't impose his views on the church. Asked whether his church will eventually accept blessings across the nation, Hutchison responded, "I suspect that's true." But he said he's not sure he could support gay marriage in church, even though Canada's secular law has moved in that direction. Chris Hawley, spokesman for the conservative Anglican Essentials, said the important question now is not Hutchison's own views but "how he's able to accommodate the orthodox wing." In 1998, the world's Anglican bishops voted overwhelmingly to oppose actively gay clergy and blessing rituals for same-sex couples as "incompatible with Scripture" -- Hutchison joined 146 bishops in issuing a dissent. The group, which included Canada's retiring primate, Archbishop Michael Peers, apologized to gays and lesbians over the action and pledged to "work for your full inclusion in the life of the church." Hutchison has headed the Montreal Diocese since 1990 and later added the post of archbishop, supervising one of four sectors in the denomination. The international Anglican Communion has 77 million members, which includes the Episcopal Church in the United States. A go-ahead vote Wednesday could further complicate matters as a special international commission seeks to overcome the Anglican divide, which stems from last year's consecration of the first openly gay Anglican bishop, V. Gene Robinson, by the U.S. Episcopal Church.

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