Canadian Anglicans Step Back On Blessing Gay Unions

(Winnipeg, Manitoba)(CP) Canadian Anglicans inched closer towards blessing same sex unions, but stopped short of giving priests the power to perform ceremonies.

The Anglican Church of Canada agreed that same sex blessings do not conflict with its core doctrine, a decision that paves the way for the practice.

But ultimately, delegates voting Sunday at the General Synod rejected the idea of letting individual dioceses decide whether their priests could perform blessing ceremonies for same sex couples who were married in civil ceremonies.

"So on the one hand, we said it is a matter of doctrine, but not credal, that is, not essential to one's salvation, shall we say. But on the other hand, the church is not prepared... to proceed immediately with the blessing of same sex unions," said Archbishop-elect Fred Hiltz, who will be installed as the church's new primate Monday evening.

Supporters and opponents of same sex blessings call the decisions confusing.

"It is a very confusing message to be sending. It's taking with one hand and giving with the other," said Chris Aimbidge, President of Integrity Canada, a lobby group that supports same sex blessings.

Cheryl Chang, a spokeswoman for Anglican Essentials, a group lobbying against same sex blessings, said she believes confused and frustrated parishioners will start finding other churches immediately.

"People (will) leave to go to the Catholic church, the Baptist church, the Pentecostal church. That's going to happen starting next Sunday, or next Monday even," Chang said.

"These are decisions that are very confusing for the church, and ultimately, very divisive."

Both resolutions were widely supported by both clergy and laity in Sunday's votes, but needed the support of the bishops in order to pass.

The bishops narrowly accepted the resolution on doctrine by just two votes. However, when it came to allowing same sex blessing ceremonies, the bishops voted 21 to 19 against the idea.

Though the church hasn't approved the practice, observers say the foundation has been laid for same sex blessings in Canada.

Some of the more conservative Anglican churches have already threatened the U.S. church with expulsion over its blessings of same-sex couples, so that's why opponents are concerned about Sunday's decisions.

"To do what they've done is to step apart from the worldwide Anglican communion," said The Rev. Canon Charlie Masters, the head of Anglican Essentials.

"This is a very sad day for Anglicans."

The fear of a split from the worldwide Anglican church was one of the many reasons the decision proved difficult for some voters. Just hours before the final vote, Meghan Lofgren, a youth delegate from the diocese of Saskatoon, admitted she hadn't made up her mind.

"I don't even know what I'm going to vote right now," she said.

Others, like Rene Jamieson, were eager to make a decision. She urged fellow delegates to let each diocese decide on whether priests could perform same-sex blessings.

Jamieson said the lengthy discussions on the issue mean they're not focusing on problems like poverty.

"I want you to vote in favour of this resolution so we can get on with the work of the church," she told delegates.

The Anglicans' vote follows a similar one by Canada's Evangelical Lutheran Church, held Saturday in Winnipeg.

Canadian Evangelical Lutherans are in full communion with the Anglican Church of Canada, meaning ordained ministers can officiate in either church. Similarly, baptized members can transfer between the two churches.

With roughly 180,000 members, the Evangelical Lutherans form the largest Lutheran denomination in Canada.

The Anglicans' decision Sunday came after two days of debate. Initially, the vote was scheduled for Saturday night, but instead of debating the issue, delegates spent hours wrangling over procedural issues.

The General Synod is held once every three years.