Not the Rugby World Cup, where Wales play England soon and each is desperate to win and a draw will help neither side in their quest to advance to the quarter finals. But the recent General Synod of the Anglican church in Wales came to a sort of draw. Technically the Synod voted in three houses to approve the bringing of legislation in favour of same sex marriage. But the voting was close enough for the bishops to take stock of the situation and deem it not appropriate to bring forward legislation.
You can read it here.
Wales would appear not to equal Canada (see below). Each church is a reminder of varying responses to the possibility of change re marriage in Anglican churches.
9 comments:
With an active membership of barely 40,000, the position of the CiW is basically irrelevant.
Not too surprising, Peter, George Conger's take on the situation. Seems like the old 'Cup half-full' syndrome. However, it doesn't take a gift of extraordinary discernment to detect the direction of the Mind of Synod. Perhaps the H.O.B. is punching above its weight at this moment.
Hi Peter, although the Church in Wales does seem small, there is a danger in writing opinion off solely on numbers. According to a 2013 report I found on The Guardian website, the British Office of National Statistics says that only 1.5% of the population in Britain is gay. If you are only looking at numbers (and of course that's how decision making bodies usually prioritise) we could ask why churches consider same sex blessings/marriages worthy of any synod time at all. Since churches seem obsessed with the issue, there is obviously more to it than numbers.
Nick
Sometimes imagination is needed with numbers, Nick.
Even 1.5% of the population will be known by a much higher percentage - family and close friends might amount to 10% of the population. 95% of the population might know at least one gay person. The issue within the churches is being driven forward by a much greater number of caring and concerned people than "1.5%."
That seems to be the case for the Roman Catholic church as well as Anglican churches. In both cases there is a disproportionate care for 'the least'!
Hi Peter
One has to respect their process, investigating three ways forward and then taking a non-binding vote which excluded Bishops but included clergy and laity at their Synod, in order to have a basis on which to make a decision. Also, that the Bishops, the majority in favour of same sex marriage, placed the unity of 'their' church above their personal positions is also worthy of respect.
An interesting aspect in this case is the small number who voted for same sex blessing when marriage or holding the traditional line were both options.
Best Wishes
Cathy
P.S. James I do not believe any part of the body is irrelevant.
I wondered why we were singing 'Bread of Heaven' at Mass at SMAA this morning.
If the setting was cwm rhondda it might have been connected.
Nick
Hi Peter, re your comment at 10.36pm last night, I agree that numbers per se do not explain why an issue affecting (possibly) no more than 1.5% of the general western population is such a "to do". There must be more to it. Perhaps we have got distracted from the hard mission gospel into solving softer human rights issues. It's easier to pass a resolution here and there for folks we see everyday rather than worrying about the "least" as you call them from Matthew 25. I'm more than happy to accept that I might have it wrong. I have come to the preliminary view, however, that gay expansion issues are a way that we Westerners can feel that we have done something Christian without any sacrifice or other personal cost. It's a bit like playing Father Christmas where we all pat ourselves on the back for being so clever.
Nick
Hi Nick
It is entirely possible that some Westerners are approaching the issues of acceptance of gay marriage etc as 'a bit like playing Father Christmas.'
I don't personally know anyone doing that.
I do know people who are pushing the issue because it affects their son or sister or best friend. Those folk are not playing Santa Claus.
Nevertheless any of us involved in these matters may be involved disproportionately: there are other matters of concern in the world. True!
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