The blessing and ordination of people in same-sex relationships will be debated at the Anglican General Synod in Waitangi today. After lengthy consultation, a special commission has given the Anglican Church of New Zealand and Polynesia ten options to consider, from blessing and ordaining people in same-sex relationships through to splitting or ending the denomination over the issue. The options range from sticking with the traditional view that only a man and a woman should be in a sexual relationship, to adopting a new understanding that God's love extends to everyone, straight or gay, or adding a new rite of blessing for people in gay relationships. The most dramatic suggestion is an agreement that the different views within the church are irreconcilable, which the report says "would mean the end of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia as it is presently known." The report, which has been a long time coming, also puts up the option of leaving a final decision for two more years so all the ideas can be discussed. The new Vicar of Auckland's St Matthew-in-the-City Rev Dr Helen Jacobi is among those urging the Church not to delay any longer, and make a decision that welcomes all. “We call today on our leaders to step up, to be without fear and to allow the voice of the Shepherd to call them forward. The time of waiting is over, we will wait no longer,” she said in her sermon yesterday. Reverend Clare Barrie from St Luke's Anglican Church Mt Albert is taking a petition signed by more than 700 people to the Synod today, which urges the Anglican Church to take steps towards welcoming everyone, including faithful lgbt Anglicans and their friends and families. "If we continue to stand still as a Church, we will gain nothing and we will begin to lose many more lgbt Anglicans with their friends and families, and many, many others who already feel deeply alienated and grieved by our present exclusionary stance. “We understand that some would experience any change as alienating and threatening, and that every care must be taken to minimize further damage – but our status quo is already causing threat, alienation and deep hurt to many of us,” the petition reads. Update: Debate ran over the allotted time and will continue on Tuesday.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 12th May 2014 - 9:06am