Northern bishops say no to gay marriage
Arctic churches stand ground after Anglican Church of Canada votes to allow same-sex unions
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Northern News Services
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Gay marriages won't be performed in Anglican churches across the Arctic, if Northern bishops have anything to say about it.
At the General Synod 2016 earlier this month, the Anglican Church of Canada narrowly voted in favour of a resolution to change the Marriage Canon, allowing for the solemnization of same-sex marriages by Anglican clergy.
At first, the resolution was reported as having failed by a single vote. However, discrepancies in the voting process were discovered and after a recount, the resolution passed.
More than 200 delegates from across Canada attended the six-day General Synod.
However, seven Bishops from Northern Canada, including Yellowknife-based Rt. Rev. David Parsons, Bishop of The Arctic, released a letter expressing their public dissent from the decision, saying they believed the General Synod had "erred grievously."
Additionally, statements to be read to congregations at Sunday services since the Synod have also encouraged congregants to support the bishops in their stance.
"The General Synod has taken a further step in ordaining something contrary to God's Word written and imperils our full communion within the Anglican Church of Canada and with Anglicans throughout the world," the bishops stated in the letter.
The Marriage Canon won't be officially changed until it is approved at the 2019 General Synod.
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Parsons declined to comment for this story. Rev. Bryan Haig, the newly appointed Rector for Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Yellowknife, also declined to comment, saying all communication had to go through the bishop.
Many congregants at Sunday's Holy Trinity service were reluctant to comment on the issue after church let out for the day, citing concerns that their conservative views would be misrepresented.
"That's a legal issue, that's not a religious issue. The two are very separate in my eyes. Being married under God means that he consents or ordains, or has created that union, and in my perspective genesis is very clear. Man, woman - that's God's plan," said one parishioner who preferred not to be named.
"Our view is that sin is sin, and everybody carries sexual sin, or physical sin, or whatever it is. I'm talking heterosexual sin, homosexual sin, sin is sin. But God has set up an ordinance, and god set up that a man and a woman should be married, and that's what I believe. Adam wasn't brought another man, God created a woman for him."
The United Church of Canada, the largest Protestant denomination in the country, supports same-sex marriage (although while the General Council welcomes same-sex marriage, congregations develop their own marriage policy and practices), as does the Unitarian Universalist and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Across the border, the Anglican body in the United States, the U.S. Episcopal Church, approves gay marriage. A 2015 poll by Forum Research, found that 70 per cent of Canadians approve of same-sex marriage.
According to a letter written by Bishop Parsons to be read in all congregations on Sunday, July 17, despite the vote to the contrary, "The 85 million strong Anglican Communion has said, do not change the Marriage Canon."
This is a little hard to swallow for LGBTQ members of the community. NWT Pride organizers wrote a statement and shared it with Yellowknifer.
"We strive to promote visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in the Northwest Territories," said the statement.
"This year, we also honour the LGBTQ+ activists who have stood up against discrimination, disenfranchisement and oppression. These activists have helped LGBTQ+ people reclaim the power to love who they want to love and to express that love with the same rights and freedoms as anyone else. We hope that the work of NWT Pride will continue to promote equality and visibility for LGBTQ+ people across the North."
According to parishioners at Holy Trinity Church however, this issue isn't actually about discrimination.
"It's not homophobia at all. We welcome anybody who sins, that's what the purpose of the church is, is to love a sinner, it's got nothing to do with what your sin actually is. I'm a sinner and I expect to be loved and accepted into the church," said one parishioner, who preferred not to be named.
In their statement, the Northern bishops expressed condemnation of prejudice and violence, and rejected criminal sanctions against the LGBTQ community. But while members of the LGBTQ community may be welcomed in the pews, their weddings are not.
"Marriage is supposed to be for a man and a woman, only. For gay marriages, it shouldn't be allowed. They can be together, but it shouldn't be called a marriage. It should be like a legal unity," said Delilah Doak, a community member who attended the service at Holy Trinity.
But she was quick to point out that doesn't preclude gay members from attending services.
"Oh they are welcome! Everybody is welcome here, it's just the marriage between them in the church."
Mildred Wilke, another community member, wasn't so sure.
"I got to think. I want to think it over. Nobody ever put that onto me in the past. I'll have to think about it," she said. "Honestly I would have to read it and I would have to take a day to think about it. That's honestly how I feel."
