CANADIAN ANGLICANS AFFIRM SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS AT SYNOD

June 03, 2004

ST. CATHARINES, Ontario (AP) — The Anglican Church of Canada approved a measure Thursday to “affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships.”

The move stops short of authorizing dioceses to hold same-sex blessing ceremonies but is still likely to complicate efforts aimed at unifying the 77 million-member Anglican Communion. The worldwide Anglican body is deeply divided over homosexuality.

Delegates to a national church meeting handed the victory to supporters of gays and lesbians as a consolation prize the morning after they voted to delay any national go-ahead on church blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples till 2007 and possibly 2010.

The “integrity and sanctity” measure was approved by a show of hands.

World Anglican unity was one reason widely cited for delay on the same-sex rituals bill, which would have authorized the ceremonies under a so-called “local option.”

Anglicanism is already split over consecration of an openly gay bishop in the U.S. Episcopal Church and an emergency commission is pondering how to hold the 38 self-governing national churches together.

The Canadian church action comes in the midst of a federal election campaign in which full-fledged gay marriage is an issue.

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