Montreal bishop will work out rite for same-sex blessing

Posted by Kendall Harmon

After this week’s discussions with bishops of the Anglican church from across Canada, Bishop Barry Clarke of Montreal plans to launch a process to work out a rite for blessing same-sex couples in the diocese who have been married in civil ceremonies.

In an opening statement Oct. 24 to the annual synod of the diocese of Montreal, the bishop said he believes that in the current debate about same-sex issues some are being called to speak with a prophetic voice, others with a voice of caution.

“For reasons, perhaps known only to God, I believe we, in the diocese of Montreal, are among those who have been called by God to speak with a prophetic voice,” he said. “It is our voice that is called to affirm that all people are loved, valued and precious before God and the Church. It is our voice that is called to affirm that all unions of faithful love and life-long commitment are worthy of God's blessing and a means of God’s grace. In time our voice will either be affirmed by the body, or stand corrected.”

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Anglican Provinces • Anglican Church of Canada • Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion) • Same-sex blessings • * Christian Life / Church Life • Liturgy, Music, Worship

8 Comments
Posted October 28, 2008 at 4:15 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. dwstroudmd wrote:

Booking for a top slot in the impending ECUSA/TEC communion, I see.  Probably went to Lambeth and inadabadaveeeeeeeeeda’d the idea there.

October 28, 4:57 pm | [comment link]
2. Intercessor wrote:

Bruno of the North seems to have forgotten his Bible.
Intercessor

October 28, 6:17 pm | [comment link]
3. Ad Orientem wrote:

Re # 2,
Intercessor,
I don’t think you are forgetting something you are feeding into a shredder as fast as you can.

Under the mercy,
John

An Orthodox Christian

October 28, 6:27 pm | [comment link]
4. John Boyland wrote:

In time our voice will either be affirmed by the body, or stand corrected.

I’m actually pleasantly pleased that he is willing to consider the latter possibility.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t realize that it already stands corrected (1998 Lambeth, for example).

October 28, 8:03 pm | [comment link]
5. pilgrim kate wrote:

How strange it is that the “prophetic” voices in the church the past 20-30 years have mostly been at one with the secular spirit of the age.  Whenever that word comes out of the mouth of a bishop or priest or theologian, I know we’re usually in for extra-biblical, if not heretical, pronouncements.

October 28, 11:13 pm | [comment link]
6. samh wrote:

tr: God says we’re special!

October 29, 6:29 am | [comment link]
7. Larry Morse wrote:

He declares with confidence that they are being called by God. How do we know he isn’t? TEC says the Holy Ghost is behind them. How do we know it isn’t?  These are merely two examples among many. This explains why I never listen - and indeed, view with the utmost irritation - the declarations of those who cite either God or the Spirit as their prime supporters. None of this can be trusted except by the gullible.

    Incidentally, notice how glibly he moves from God loving everyone to God declaring himself in favor of ssm without bothering with a reason for the leap. I am not supposed to show real anger here, but doesn’t a glib facility like this make you want to grab the glozing tongue with a pair of pincers and give her a sharp jerk? There is in this oleaginous prose the slick dishonesty of the snake oil salesman. Yes, yes, elves, my bad, but there is something particularly loathsome in the voice that saponifies scripture and we SHOULD be actively repelled by it.  Larry

October 29, 6:54 am | [comment link]
8. Harvey wrote:

“..By their works ye shall know them..”  We could also add “..wide is the pathway that leadeth to destruction..”  I find it difficult to agree with an “every things okay” attitude when it is applied to the Word of God.

October 30, 2:42 pm | [comment link]
Registered members must log in to comment.



Next entry (above): The recent Diocesan Convention Address of the Bishop of Michigan

Previous entry (below): David Brooks: The Behavioral Revolution

Return to blog homepage

Return to Mobile view (headlines)