By Laura Cummings
For the second year in a row, the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa has delayed a decision on the blessing of same-sex unions, according to the co-chair of the task force created to help solve the debate.
“Bishop Peter (Coffin) basically said that at this time, there is going to be no blessing of same-sex unions, and that he is not going to entertain any motions around that issue,” said Rev. Michael Fleming, co-chair for the Task Force on the Blessing of Same Sex Unions, after their yearly administrative meeting, called a synod, last weekend.
The task force, created in April 2003, submitted its first report to the synod last October, Bill Prentice, director of Parish and Diocesan Services, said. The Second Interim Report was presented last weekend.
“Our job was to develop a document that outlines the implications of any decision we may make,” Fleming said. “If we go one way, what are the implications? If we go the other way, what are the implications? If we do nothing, what are the implications of that?”
Fleming added the task force is also responsible for encouraging discussion and distributing information about the issue.
“When the time comes for us to make a decision on this, whenever that is, the decision we make is informed and that’s been reached at after a long period of study, reflection, conversation, and prayer,” Fleming said.
Frank Johnson, chairman of the Anglican Gathering of Ottawa, calls the debate over whether to bless same-sex marriages “a current crisis in the Anglican church.”
“The people in the pews are really quite concerned. They don’t know where to turn,” he said.
“We’re all perplexed, we’re not quite sure what to do.”
The decision comes on the heels of the Windsor Report 2004, an examination of same-sex marriage and blessings by the leader of the world-wide Anglican Communion.
The report, which stopped short of forbidding same-sex unions, called for further discussion of the issue.
Locally, St. John the Evangelist, on the corner of Somerset and Elgin streets, has been in the forefront of the debate.
The church’s parish council officially endorsed the “Open and Affirming Statement” in 1998 saying “that it is unacceptable to force gay and lesbian people to deny or hide their sexual orientation and committed relationships in order to be accepted into our church.”
“We knew already,” said Karen Bergenstein, a St. John’s student minister, regarding the bishop’s decision.
“He’s waiting for (General Synod) to report before we do anything here.”
St. John’s rector Garth E. Bulmer said he favours blessing same-sex unions.
“I’d like to see the report recommend at least an experimental provision for the blessing of same-sex marriages,” he said.
“Unfortunately for us, at St. John’s where we’ve done so much work around this issue, it’s rather frustrating … we feel that we’ve talked all we want, now we want action.,” Bulmer added.
In 1996, Bulmer performed a commitment ceremony at St. John’s for a gay couple without permission from the diocese. When the bishop found out, he threatened to fire Bulmer if he performed another commitment ceremony.
“The way in which strong opposing factions in the church react to the Windsor Report will determine a lot,” Bulmer said.
“I see it as a justice issue as well. Justice can only be delayed for so long.”