Apparently some at synod have felt bullied and “unsafe” in their discussion groups. No information is at hand as to the nature of the bullying, so one is left to speculate. Have clergy brought guns to the synod? Knives? Are legs and arms being broken with baseball bats?

Or are tender souls shrivelling under the onslaught of vigorous disagreement. Poor dears. Whatever it is, the Primate is calling for holy manners – whatever they are.

From here:

In an impromptu speech and prayer that lasted nearly 20 minutes, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, sternly reminded members of General Synod to show “holy manners” toward one another when discussing same-sex marriage in their neighbourhood groups.

“Some of the neighbourhood groups, as I understand it, have worked very well, and indeed are eager to get back together,” he said.

“For some there was more of a challenge, and for some, very difficult experiences. And it has come to my attention, as a pastor to this community and this church, that some of the behaviour that’s been exhibited has been less than the standard set out in these norms,” Hiltz said, referring to the eight guidelines members were instructed to follow to ensure a respectful level of debate in their groups.

“Some members of synod have experienced bullying. Some members of our synod are deeply hurt. Some of them are deeply offended. Some are feeling unsafe to continue to speak lest they be reprimanded, and so they’re feeling silenced,” Hiltz said.

“This kind of behaviour is not appropriate,” he said. “It’s unacceptable. And it ought not, and I pray will not, be tolerated.”

There is a “conscience clause” that will permit clergy to opt out of marrying same-sex couples if a change is made to the marriage canon. The question was asked at synod whether legal action could be taken against a cleric who refuses to marry a same-sex couple:

This was the wrong question to ask. What should have been asked was: “if I do get sued will the Anglican Church of Canada pay for my defence?” The law will  not protect a clergyman – an expensive defence lawyer will. That will be the real test of the ACoC’s commitment to the conscience clause.

A plot is afoot to prepare delegates for something other than a yes or no decision for the marriage canon vote – resolution C003 – on Monday. The liberals fear that the vote will not go their way so machinations are underway to produce the desired result no matter what the outcome of the vote. Something less “binary”.

From here:

But he [Dean Iain Luke] added that given the deep divisions that exist within the Canadian Anglican church on matters of doctrine, the church should look at new ways of framing its decision-making process that do not inevitably lead to a binary of winners and losers.

It was a position Ambidge agreed with.

“I don’t think the Westminster parliamentary system is serving us well for things other than budgets,” he said. “For things that hit us not in the head or the heart but the soul, I think we need to learn a whole lot from the Indigenous people, because Westminster is really not helping us at all.”

Here is the fellow on the left after he slipped into something more comfortable – less binary, perhaps – for the Pride Parade:

Synod delegates have asked to discuss three seemingly innocuous questions:

After an introduction to the report of the commission on the marriage canon  presented by some members of the commission, General Synod members, seated at roughly 30 tables, were asked to discuss three questions with the others at their tables: What is your overall impression of the report? What does marriage mean to you? Has your understanding of marriage changed in your lifetime?

Whether same-sex activity is right or wrong is not being discussed. That is because the ACoC has already decreed that same-sex activity can be holy. Once you have gone that far, marriage is a small next step; conservative Anglicans have been fighting a rearguard action ever since and, short of a miracle – a commodity in short supply in the ACoC – the liberal juggernaut will roll on until it gets its way.

Since General Synod 12 years ago already affirmed the sanctity of adult, committed, same-sex relationships, Jennings said, “we did not see it as our job to reopen the debate as to whether homosexuality is fundamentally sinful or whatever—that is no longer the teaching of our church. I realize that for some of you, this might seem unsatisfactory, but it was not the question before us.”