Bishop William Anderson asks the interesting question (since the motion has to pass a second time in 2019 before the canon is actually changed): “Does this mean in fact that they are going to withhold consent for the marriages until this passes second reading in three years?”
I’m sure we already know the answer to that. And if we don’t Bishop John Chapman is only too happy to enlighten us. Full steam ahead for the Diocese of Ottawa; other bishops will follow suit:
My intention is to honour my previous statement of July 11, 2016 and allow, with my permission, those clergy wishing to preside at a same sex marriage. I felt comfortable proceeding before the issue with the electronic voting system had been presented, because we did have the support of the Synod minus one clergy vote only. And, pastorally it is the right and proper thing for us to do. It is inclusive; it is hospitable, theologically sound and just.
Anderson goes on to note that chaos will undoubtedly follow – I agree, although I would say “more chaos” – and some bishops have made themselves “mini popes” concocting their own doctrine. I hope he doesn’t get sued.
From here:
Bishop William Anderson, diocese of Caledonia
They did what they had to do in terms of trying to correct the record so I have no issue with that. What I do have an issue with is that last night when the thinking was that the vote got in the way, a number of bishops announced that they were simply going to ignore the results, they were going to defy the decision of synod and… go ahead and approve [same-sex] marriages.Well, today, the situation is reversed, with the correction of the record, so the question I would be asking is, “Does this mean in fact that they are going to withhold consent for the marriages until this passes second reading in three years?”
I think this process has been immensely destructive of the unity of our church. I think people are going to go away wounded and if the dioceses that said they’re going to go ahead anyway now will go ahead even though now they have won the vote, it further exacerbates the contempt for our synodical process. I think we’re in for a period of chaos and I think that’s not going to be helpful for the church.
Q: What will you be telling your diocese?
The practical side of it is pretty straightforward. I have no reason to believe that it was not an honest error, a technical error, and so the vote is what the vote was. People need to deal with that.
I think the bigger problem is the one that flows from all the dioceses that said last night they were simply going to go ahead. What that says to my people is, “Well, we have a process where this has to pass at two successive synods, but some dioceses have decided they’re just going to go ahead, anyway.” Which begs the question, why are we even involved in a synodical process in deciding something like this if, to be very cynical, some bishops are going to make themselves mini popes who can decide doctrine on their own?
To my considerable surprise, it seems that the Anglican Journal has relocated Michael Bird to Ottawa. He, too, plans to ignore the fact that the canon can’t change before 2019 and will go ahead:
Bishop Michael Bird, diocese of Ottawa
Obviously, I can’t help but be grateful for the resolution passing because it’s not a vote, behind that are the witness that we give as a church to LGBTQ [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning] community and their friends and their families. That is welcome news to me.[…..]
Q: Are you still going ahead with same-sex marriages in your dioceses?
I haven’t changed my mind on that at this point. This has just happened so I haven’t really given much thought yet about what the next [steps are]… I will be talking to some of our senior staff and seeing how, if any way, this will alter that. But at this stage, I basically made my decision now and I’m going forward with it.
I just read an interesting quote: “With shepherds like these, wolves become superfluous.”
It comes as no surprise that the apostate Bishop Bird is being translated to Ottawa where his Pergamene+ confrere, also a fast adherent to “the doctrine of Balaam”, in his published defence of this iniquitous deed, unlawful in its inception and therefore in its execution, summoned the authority of Caesar’s power; which of late, at the Toronto Pride Parade,publicly promised to legalize the sodomizing of sixteen-year old youth.
+ “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is…”
The Revelation of Jesus Christ ch. 2:12-17
It turned out that the one vote which overturned the previous vote and caused the amendment to change the marriage cannon to pass after all, had come from the general secretary rev. Michael Thompson. He was in my church in the diocese of Toronto while being the Secretary to the Primate when I was just ordained and one day he angrily told me, “Fariborz, you know what your problem is?” To which I said , I guess I am going to learn soon. He said, and I quote his exact words. ” Your problem is that you take the biblical moral imperatives too seriously”. And I simply said thanks for the compliment. He went on to warn me, you need to smarten up and change, or leave, or be at odds with your Bishopn for the rest of your ministry.
Now with a man who doesn’t take the biblical moral imperatives too seriously, I’m not surprised to see him coming up with the changing vote after the votes were counted and the results were not in his favor.
The Lord have mercy on him and all of us.
By the way, I moved 5000 km to work with a godly Bishop The Rt. Rev. Fraser Lawton.
Liberal bishops take their own imperatives, and authority, very, very seriously.
You cannot win against the homoheretics. They will not stop until they have shoved the dildo into the rectum of every faithful Christian. A truly sad day to see a once-great denomination destroyed.
I think your language is uncalled for. And I think the tone of your comment undermines the credibility of those, like myself, who are genuinely concerned that this wave of heresy and those who – for whatever reason – are facilitating it, are removing countless people from the possibility of repentance and being reconciled to God. Repentance and reconciliation is my prayer for those with whom I disagree and however difficult, I think we need to find ways to speak to and about them that show grace.
You seem to know a lot about dildos in rectums…..it makes me wonder
The Bishops and Primates have been getting the word out, thats how we know so much about dildoes and rectums.
I agree totally, this homo-business should stay in the closet, not something to be celebrated and given legitimacy by these apostate
” leaders”. As I see it, the Anglican Church has been irrelevant for some time now.
Has anyone else seen this statement in the Anglican Planet? (Perhaps it is elsewhere also): http://anglicanplanet.net/canadian-news/2016/7/15/a-statement-from-some-bishops-of-the-anglican-church-of-cana.html
It seems there remains a faithful remnant among our bishops. That is what I call inspiring leadership. Under these circumstances, their stand takes great courage and integrity.
I have read the statement of these four Bishops and this might indeed point to inspiring leadership. In that case I would ask why these Bishops do not take their diocese into the Anglican Network in Canada as it is quite clear they will not carry any weight among the apostates.
As I have stated in other submissions this motion was completely out of line from the outset. The authority of God’s Word is never subject to any vote or approval regardless of the colour of shirt of collar. The ACoC has proven itself to be only a church of political expedience and NOT a Church of Our Lord and Saviour. Through the deception of apostate bishops they have thrown out the Scriptures and should, therefore, give away their Bibles. Further any celebration of the Eucharist is fraudulent.
I don’t disagree with you, Frank.
I think in some geographical areas it has been possible before now for the bishops to continue to minister within a bit of a vacuum, largely separated from the practices that were taking place in the next diocese over. That has changed now. This statement is a first step. We will have to watch and see what the next few steps will be.